by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner
Whatchu do on election day might be important, our poet affirms, but it's by no means everything. Changing the world calls for a lot more stuff before, during, after and often enough in spite of elections, candidates and campaigns.
Feet Won’t Fail You Now:
Vote With Them!
by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner
I.
Presto! Abra-cadaver! Regime change!
And the wars played on…There’s a Ta-
Da List: Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria…
It’s more honest, less pretentious
having Haliburton and Boeing on
Ballots and Raytheon, Exxon and
General Dynamics nominating
Northrup-Grummond; Lockheed-Martin,
Monsanto and CCA chairing conventions…
It’s more honest, less pretentious
showing JFK, gaping hole in his
throat, brain oozing out the back
of his head; and Jackie’s blood-
splattered pink dress with all the
Pomp and circumstance…
It’s more honest, less pretentious
calling it corporatocracy, kleptocracy,
autocracy, plutocracy—anything but
Democracy—for the working-class
It’s more honest, less pretentious
To quit pretending it’s broken and
we can fix it. It’s emergency managed
magnificently, works perfectly—for the 1%
It’s more honest, less pretentious
shutting up about holding anyone’s
Combat boots to the fire!
You claim there’s an opening for socialism
In this anti-communist bastion of the world,
and your phones are smart…Is there an app
for socialism? Communism? If not, the real
Question in this forest of question marks is:
How quickly can we cram for the EXAM?
How rapidly can we build on baby steps?
How fast can we cut plastic cuffs from our
Dreams and snatch stars through orange netting?
How swiftly can we recycle shackles into Independent
Organizations? How quickly can we come together?
How fast can we cast illusions off and light lanterns
of theory guiding our steps?
How swiftly can we blend rivulets of revolt into a river of
Revolution?
Must we continue cowering before bloodthirsty Barnum&
Bailey, champagne-caviar spectacles, cycles of fear, before
Bogeymen, Bogey-Ladies and colored tokens granted rights
to do wrong: pulling nuts of The New Amerikkkkan Century
from class struggle’s campfire?
2008-2016
Black dyed-in-the wool corporate war criminal
2016-2024
Woman warmonger, Wall Street operative
2024—2032
“Latino” warlord, creature of the 1%
2032-2040
Asian exponent of the ‘pivot’
2040-2048
First Openly Gay Commander-in-Chief
2048-2056
First Disabled agent of war profiteers—then
Restart cycles, doubling up on identities…
II.
Your feet burn, legs ache, but ever
Notice how energized, invigorated,
Uplifted, militant marches make you?
Breathing’s not shallow—defeated like
aftermath of $campaigns & $elections
You’re revitalized as rubber and road meet
at your feet; street heat voting won’t fail you…
Raymond Nat Turner © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet and performance artist. Find more of his work at http://ursurgejazz.com
This week we have an update on the FBI raid and impending indictments against members of the Uhuru Movement, discuss what Damar Hamlin teaches us about the business of football, and discover that…
Omali Yeshitela is chairman of the African Peoples Socialist Party, leader of the Uhuru Movement, and the Black is Back Coalition. The African Peoples Socialist Party’s Uhuru House was raided by FBI…
Garrett Bush is host of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, The Barbershop, and the Locked on Browns podcast. He joins us from Cleveland to discuss Damar Hamlin, the NFL player from the Buffalo Bills…
New York City retirees resist the privatization of their Medicare benefits.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's need for 15 rounds of voting from his party is viewed with alarm or humor. But the right wing proved that activists win if they make demands. Democrats have no members…
