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

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


  • International Solidarity with Venezuela's Fight Against Coercive Measures
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    International Solidarity with Venezuela's Fight Against Coercive Measures
    04 Aug 2023
    Booker Ngesa Omole is the National Vice-Chairperson and National Organizing Secretary of the Communist Party of Kenya, and a member of its National Central Committee.
  • Belief in American Exceptionalism is a Bipartisan Affair
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Belief in American Exceptionalism is a Bipartisan Affair
    04 Aug 2023
    Glen Ford analyzed a 2019 Democratic Party presidential debate and points out that support for U.S. aggression towards Venezuela and other nations is a bipartisan project.
  • Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki's Remarks to Vladimir Putin
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki's Remarks to Vladimir Putin
    04 Aug 2023
    On July 28 Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki spoke to Vladimir Putin at a summit with other African leaders. Afwerki explained why African nations see Russia as an ally, and why they are mistrustful…
  • Migration and Other Lies About Eritrea
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Migration and Other Lies About Eritrea
    04 Aug 2023
    In a 2015 interview on the Real News Network Glen Ford explained why the west is so hostile to Eritrea and tells lies about migration from that country.
  • The Dems and Repubs are Moneypots, Not Real Political Parties
    Glen Ford , BAR executive editor
    The Dems and Repubs are Moneypots, Not Real Political Parties
    02 Aug 2023
    If the Democrats were a real, mass based party, they would never consider Joe Biden as their nominee because he has no support among the people that energize parties: the youth.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us