Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Buzzed In By Lewis
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
01 Feb 2018
🖨️ Print Article

5 in the morning, ‘The Lewis Sawyer Experience’
early morning Boys Club in Papa Sawyer’s Cave:
My lick for Lewis, “Lewis Sawyer, is my lawyer—”
his classic chuckle-comeback, “Well, you’re in bad shape then!”
Poets and last words, “Well, David McBurney is my attorney…”
But Lewis was a bullhorn, shouting names of our Political Prisoners,
Prisoners Of War, languishing forgotten in gulags across imprisoned
nation. He put 59,000 watts beneath their wings,without fanfare—
While reminding us: we’re just in Minimum Security…

Being buzzed in to the Mother Ship by Lewis
felt safe, welcome—presence appreciated—in
Good hands, a trillion times more reliable than Allstate
Lewis was the first face I’d see at the station—
unerring source for five-star information

Warmth was his uniform; his smile his badge,
reflecting respect back like a mirror from the
Mountaintop: all the authority a badass Angel,
sweet scientist, who could handle ‘situations…’
Required; I emerged from ‘Lewis Sawyer Experiences’
with double shot expresso optimism

A modest, minimalist, Monk life-stylist—
Count Basie of Kindness—
Not a whole lot of notes there
but his voicings sung and swung;
Duke Ellington of Passion:
Things he loved, he loved madly—
speaking of love—Lewis was LOVE
Not a mushy, gushy, sentimental bubblegum LOVE
But, an I believe in you, when no one else believes LOVE
I honor your light, anything I can do to amplify it LOVE
As you stand on stage, I’ll sit in the audience LOVE
Anything you need early in the morning LOVE
Release your worry beads, I got your back LOVE
Harness your hardships, “too big to fail” LOVE

Let’s suppose that place
preachers speak of Sundays
Exists; suppose I make the cut—
I bet Lewis will be there buzzing me in… Lewis Sawyer:
Presente!

poetry

More Stories


  • International Coalition to Stop Genocide in Palestine
    Call to Action: The ICGSP Denounces Israel's Brutal Attacks on Rafah
    05 Jun 2024
    The ICGSP put out this call for movements around the world to support the university movement for Gaza solidarity.
  • AsheNews
    An Open Letter to William Ruto, By Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
    05 Jun 2024
    Kenyan President William Ruto is serving the role of a comprador facilitating the continued colonization of Kenya and betraying the revolutionary history of their people.
  • Abayomi Azikiwe
    State Repression and Palestine Solidarity
    05 Jun 2024
    The destruction of encampments and the arrests of more than 3,000 students and faculty members have not stopped the movement for divestment.
  • Omar Karmi
    Rudderless, Incompetent and Complicit
    05 Jun 2024
    The U.S. policy regarding the genocide in Gaza is one of incompetence and duplicity.
  • Black Alliance For Peace
    Afghanistan News Update #22 May 27th, 2024
    05 Jun 2024
    Afghans for a Better Tomorrow discuss the current state of Afghanistan and their work organizing against U.S. imperialism.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us