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


  • U.S. Effort to Hurt Russia Undermines Itself and the World
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    U.S. Effort to Hurt Russia Undermines Itself and the World
    08 Jun 2022
    The U.S. drive to dominate creates self-inflicted wounds and self-imposed crises. It also creates suffering around the world with only the most servile vassal states willing to do what…
  • For the Peoples of our Region, the Failure of Biden’s Summit of the Americas Would be a Welcome Event
    ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    For the Peoples of our Region, the Failure of Biden’s Summit of the Americas Would be a Welcome Event
    08 Jun 2022
    The Summit of the Americas is not the property of the host nation. The U.S. has no right to exclude, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, but has done so in disregard of their sovereignty. The U.S. is not…
  • DOCUMENT: The Decline of the United States Empire, James Boggs, 1963
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    DOCUMENT: The Decline of the United States Empire, James Boggs, 1963
    08 Jun 2022
    James Boggs was a Detroit auto worker, activist, and author. Nearly 60 years ago he analyzed revolutionary movements in the Americas and described their role in hastening the U.S. empire's…
  • Why the Belt and Road Initiative Won’t be Derailed by the Ukraine Crisis
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    Why the Belt and Road Initiative Won’t be Derailed by the Ukraine Crisis
    08 Jun 2022
    Ukraine has been at the center of a massive geopolitical and economic whirlwind. But the turmoil caused by the U.S.-instigated conflict shouldn't cause problems for the Belt and Road Initiative.
  • BAR Book Forum: Interview with Akinyele Umoja
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Interview with Akinyele Umoja
    08 Jun 2022
    This week’s featured scholar is Akinyele Umoja. Umoja is Professor of Africana Studies at Georgia State University. His article is “Maroon: Kuwasi Balagoon and the Evolution of Revolutionary New…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us