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


  • Ralph Nader
    Jacqueline Luqman
    Of Course Ralph Nader Can Say He Prefers Autocracy To Fascism: He's Not The Target Of Either
    09 Oct 2023
    Millions of people voted for Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader in 2000 but now he has denounced them and himself by proclaiming his support for Joe Biden’s re-election.
  • Deploying Kenyan Police in Haiti is Unconstitutional
    Willy Mutunga
    Deploying Kenyan Police in Haiti is Unconstitutional
    29 Sep 2023
    Kenya's decision to join a US led occupation of Haiti is an example of imperialism in Black face. According to a former Chief Justice the act is also a violation of Kenya's…
  • Black Agenda Radio September 29, 2023
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio September 29, 2023
    29 Sep 2023
    In this week’s segment we discuss US policy towards African nations, Canada's revelations of Ukraine’s and its own connections with Nazis, and how the restriction on federal funds for abortion…
  • International Month of Action Against AFRICOM
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    International Month of Action Against AFRICOM
    29 Sep 2023
    Netfa Freeman is Co-Coordinator of the Black Alliance for Peace Africa Team. He joins us from Washington to discuss the 4th International Month of Action Against AFRICOM which kicks off with a…
  • U.S. Africa Policy
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    U.S. Africa Policy
    29 Sep 2023
    Margaret Kimberley was recently a guest on the Sputnik News program Political Misfits. In these excerpts of her remarks, she discussed Joe Biden’s recent comments about Africa during his UN…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us