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
  • omnibus

pump the brakes
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
04 May 2022
pump the brakes

                                                                                     “He's a real nowhere man

                                                                                          in his nowhere land 

                                                                               Making all his nowhere plans…”

                                                                             —John Lennon / Paul McCartney

 

He slices/dices street heat from fiery

formulations he finds awkward. He froze on

Ferguson and Flint. And Arab Spring wasn’t his

thing. He wasn’t high on Occupy. George Floyd

Summer was a bummer. He cursed Striketober

when he was sober…

“shift:” To hell with Harlemites fighting to re

name a confederate-christened school after one

of their own

“option:” He tells Star-bucked baristas—sick and

tired of being sick and tired—and Amazon workers

Organizing on Staten Island: His wise words are in

dispensable:

“Slow down—lemme catch up—And lead you, fools!”

“caps lock:” Wagging his finger he moves the masses

in Manilla, Managua, Minneapolis, Gaza off

struggles for democracy costing years, ribs, eyeballs,

teeth and

Lives…

American. Wants it all. Now. Like his coffee, like his

croissant. He clicks socialist—communist—revolution!

“control:” He establishes ‘air superiority;’ ‘no fly zones;’ puts ‘boots,

on the ground.’ Screaming missiles; exploding bombs; smells of fear

unwashed for weeks; unburied bodies are canceled by sizzling bacon

and eggs and steaming espresso… In harm’s way—17” screen—he

practices palace anti-imperialism; Colorizing revolutionary mass

movements; Arguing force fully for Nationalist International

strongmen get out of The Hague cards. He knows which smart bombs

work best for backwards bus drivers, janitors, truckers, teachers,

warehouse workers without agency.

“command:” He hasn’t marched since the president began every

sentence with “Well…” fired striking air traffic controllers and

claimed Contras were Freedom Fighters. He felt the Bern—twice.

Hopping mad—chaffing—he chastised those whose pants weren’t

similarly on fire.

“return:” Just saw him again—off command and control—for a

New York minute—swapping blue light for sunlight; and monitor

screen for sunscreen

“esc:” Omniscience in fact… he’d held Sugar Hill high ground…

Supermarket or pharmacy, I see him once every other year;

Still wondering if he can

Organize himself and other two-time losers for lunch without the

same arguments Dylan heard when he hit The City? Organize

Uber rides crosstown without he and comrades splitting fifteen

times along the way—and unity DOA?

Can he dial down meds, locate a coffee shop, deli or diner; sit a

few hours with

Competitors…ORGANIZE—just ONE—unitary, militant Mayday

March of millions in Manhattan—or 12-step off; Admit his power

lessness; and

Pump the brakes on tonight’s post for proletarian revolution? ©

Former forklift driver/warehouse worker/janitor, Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet;

BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC.

You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe PayPal: paypal.me/towncrierRNT

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


More Stories


  • Kalonji Changa
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The Struggle for Liberation Amid Celebrity Culture
    04 Jul 2025
    We are joined by Kalonji Changa, who is a co-founder of Black Power Media, founder of the FTP Movement, and co-author of the book Beyond Cop Cities: Dismantling State and Corporate-Funded Armies and…
  • Free Mumia event flyer
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Free Mumia Coalition of New York City Joins Mobilization in Philadelphia
    04 Jul 2025
    Gil Obler is an organizer with the Free Mumia Abu Jamal Coalition of New York City. He joins us from New York to discuss the Saturday, July 5th rally and march at Malcolm X memorial park in…
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    The Necessity of Birthright Citizenship for Black People
    02 Jul 2025
    Black citizenship was non-existent for the first 200 years that enslaved and free people were present in what became the United States. Even long-standing legal victories are tenuous, and now…
  • Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY: Black Refugees Unwelcomed! Gaou Guinou Balewa, 1973
    02 Jul 2025
    “Haitian refugees and political exiles find themselves being refused the hospitality granted others.”
  • Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Aggressors Unnamed in Rwanda-DRC “Peace Agreement”
    02 Jul 2025
    Rwandan and M23 forces are the aggressors in the DRC. They are integrated under Rwandan command.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us