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

“No Matter What Sign You Are,”4th Supreme
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
16 Jan 2019
🖨️ Print Article
the supremes
The Supremes

Mary was mysterious,
but the best dancer
Diana, the magnetic,
cooing romancer—
But, here’s a secret I know:
cats like me dug Miss Flo—
And the 4th Supreme’s ‘fro!

The 4th Supreme came
Singing tones ‘tween
Douglass and Carmen McRae—
Malcolm X and Lady Day

The 4th Supreme came
Singing “Stop In The Name Of Love!”
by way of Brandeis/Bombing-ham—
hitting Dynamite Hill high notes

The 4th Supreme came
Singing “Reflections”
in silver bracelets, on a
Newsweek cover captioned:
“Red, Black and Wanted!”

Hoover hated her harmonies with millions…
But I heard, “Set me free, why don’t you, babe?”
Rocking me to “ …Try Something New:”
Dialectics…

 

The 4th Supreme came
Singing, “I Hear A Symphony—”
“No Matter What Sign You Are,”
in ’08—but I
forgive her and comrades
and friends for singing flat
Madison Avenue smash hits: “Yes,
we can and bottle Jim Jones Juice;”
“regime Change you can believe in—”
delivering “Nothing But Heartaches” to
Honduras, Libya, Syria, Mother Africa…

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.
Raymond Nat Turner, our poet in residence, is an accomplished performing artist. You can find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

poetry

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Detroit City Council Expands “ShotSpotter” After Two More are Gunned Down by Police
    Abayomi Azikiwe
    Detroit City Council Expands “ShotSpotter” After Two More are Gunned Down by Police
    19 Oct 2022
    Detroit resident Porter Burks was killed by police while in the midst of a mental health crisis. To add insult to injury, the city of Detroit is spending millions of dollars on dubious technology…
  • The Other Russia-West War: Why Some African Countries are Abandoning Paris, Joining Moscow
    Ramzy Baroud
    The Other Russia-West War: Why Some African Countries are Abandoning Paris, Joining Moscow
    19 Oct 2022
    France's colonial and neo-colonial history is now challenged in Francophone Africa by Russia's position as a world power rival to the US and other NATO nations.  
  • Brazilian Muslims Demand Harvard Return Skull of Enslaved Man Who Fought in Uprising
    Eduardo Campos Lima
    Brazilian Muslims Demand Harvard Return Skull of Enslaved Man Who Fought in Uprising
    19 Oct 2022
    Universities and museums around the world still hold human remains in their collections. Harvard University follows this discredited practice and has the skull of an enslaved Brazilian who took…
  • Black Agenda Radio October 14, 2022
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio October 14, 2022
    14 Oct 2022
    "Organize, Fight, Win: Black Communist Women's Political Writings", NYPD conceals evidence in the killing of Rameek Smith, and the Black is Back Coalition for Peace, Justice and Reparations says, "…
  • Charisse Burden-Stelly "Organize, Fight, Win: Black Communist Women's Political Writings"
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley , Charisse Burden-Stelly, PhD
    Charisse Burden-Stelly "Organize, Fight, Win: Black Communist Women's Political Writings"
    14 Oct 2022
    Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly is an Associate Professor of African American Studies at Wayne State University. She is co-editor of the recently published book, Organize, Fight, Win: Black Communist…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us