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

State of the Union—or state of Capitalist decay?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
12 Mar 2025
🖨️ Print Article
Donald Trump State of the Union
Photo: ABC News

“Every man for himself
and the devil take the hindmost.”

Something’s soothing, lobotomizing, about the snotty
Voice flooding from Fox-boxes. Something’s
Lobotomizing about an ignorant comedian coming to
Kill—but bombing—yet, still killing …

Something’s soothing about Jumping Jack Fascists—
Springing up at every absurd utterance and
Thunder of rattling rubbish. Their hand bones
Fracturing from clapping so damn loud—so long …

Something’s soothing about Jumping Jack Fascists
Springing up like they got the Holy Ghost! Fits of
Ecstasy applauding poor people used as props—
Mascots—human shields for class war’s unpopular policies

Something’s soothing about Jumping Jack Fascists
Springing up, sane-washing a lipsticked pig. And face-
Lifting lies about capitalism’s impossible promises to
The People …

Forked tongue tour de force— False from beginning to
End. 1hour, 40 minute Mussolini masterpiece. Il DOGE
Smashed Dr. Goebbels’ Guinness Book of Records for
Orwellian wizardry: misinformation/disinformation/1/2 truths/big lies.

Barren make believe desert. Echo chamber of hollow mockery—
Hypocrisy, humbuggery/thuggery, treachery, treason, truth-less-
Ness and alternative facts where up is down. Bad’s good. Worse
Is better. Woke's worrisome/and straw’s spun orange into fools gold …

Leaning in, listening to bosh-laden blizzards of fabrications—
Falsifications— bleached bone white lies—but not eating the
Dogma does cause trauma. Trauma of two car crashes;
Three boxing matches; And four NFL and hockey games …

Blitzkrieg! Warp speed war on the working-class—
Moving fast! Breaking things! Things shoe leather, steel spines,
Blood and grit won working people long, long ago.
Things we long to make more muscular, more robust. And for all …

© 2025. 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.

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


More Stories


  • Enes Kanter Exposes Connection Between Sinophobia and Anti-Black Racism
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    Enes Kanter Exposes Connection Between Sinophobia and Anti-Black Racism
    01 Dec 2021
    Recent remarks made by an NBA player show that Sinophobia represents backward foreign policy and invitations to amplify racist tropes in the U.S.
  • The Drone Ranger gallops into Glasgow
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    The Drone Ranger gallops into Glasgow
    01 Dec 2021
                                                         
  • BAR Book Forum: Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson’s “Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson’s “Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back”
    01 Dec 2021
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
  • Democracy Scores Another Victory Over the U.S. in Honduras
    Black Alliance For Peace
    Democracy Scores Another Victory Over the U.S. in Honduras
    01 Dec 2021
    The people of Honduras secured a victory against U.S. interference with the convincing win of Xiomara Castro as their new president.
  • #NoMore Censorship of Africa’s Roving Digital Army of Peace
    Simon Tesfamariam
    #NoMore Censorship of Africa’s Roving Digital Army of Peace
    01 Dec 2021
    The removal of Twitter accounts advocating for peace in the Horn of Africa shows the connection between the state and big tech companies.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us