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Is ‘Duel’ the better 4-letter Dream word for ‘Debate?’
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
26 Jun 2024
🖨️ Print Article
Joe Biden and Donald Trump debate in 2020
Donald Trump and President Joe Biden debate in 2020 Photo: ABC News

Sun drenched morning. Silver bullet-loaded, matched gold-plated
Glocks gleam above gilded dress swords. Above bump-stocked
AR-15s, strapped across slumped shoulders of two 1% men of
Limited vision. Mediocre men brandishing usurped Peoples’ Power …

The NRA, RNC and DNC searched far and wide for a S***hole
Country—boots on the ground—who’d host the gentlemen’s
Gun-powdered dustup. The People are excited! Ticket scalpers’ pockets
Got the mumps! Pay-per view revenues explode like 2,000 lb. bombs!

Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium would’ve hosted it. But fans were
Civil War split on who they’d ‘Tomahawk Chop’/ faux Native chant for.
Miraculously, Bechtel built Weehawken Stadium seating well over
100,000—provided Boeing bombs it/Bechtel rebuilds it …4 yrs later …

A Peach State nut job/aka ‘Driving Miss Crazy;’ a Rocky Mountain
State gun moll; an Empire State inquisitor; an ex-Palmetto State
Governor who scribbled, “Finish them off!” on bombs destined for
Gaza were chosen as cheerleaders for the combatants

A dock built for bringing in more supplies and equipment split apart.
Kegs of beer, pallets of peanuts and pretzels were airdropped into the
Stadium …       Standing back; standing by; looking skyward for
Snacks, Proud boys momentarily walked in Palestinian sandals …

WE The People face fierce trillion dollar dilemmas—
Bought and bossed ones offer
Dollar store ‘solutions.’ Performative politicians promise to
“Fight like hell!” and, hopefully, spare us trauma of bipartisan
Buffoonery …  Policy-lite/Solution-absent/Mad monologues …
Dumbed-down discourse … Disguised as debate …

They opt for “Trial by combat” instead! For Jumbotron spectacle!
Standing back-to-back—French-style—and stepping off 20 paces
To cherry ‘red lines’…    As breathless billions worldwide watch!
And proceeds go to
House the Unhoused; Healthcare For All; Free Education; go
To clean up rivers and oceans; to Green Jobs and empty jails …
“Thoughts and prayers” to the loser’s family …
Winner’s allowed— like U.S. troops in Afghanistan—to
Urinate on loser’s body; to cut off fingers for souvenirs.
Body will lie in state—wrapped in stars and stripes—
Capitalist Hill rotunda … 21 gun-salute! Burial, Arlington
National Cemetery.

Winner gets next biggest imperialist strongman. Next biggest authoritarian
Supreme Leader/Embassy Butcher/Nationalist Pogrom Master—lending new
Meaning to “sudden death over … time.” And buying the
International Working Class time … to reorganize … Before the alarm goes off?

© 2024. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

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 and PayPal.

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