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

Amerikkka Was Built on Busting Up Families…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
20 Jun 2018
🖨️ Print Article
Amerikkka Was Built on Busting Up Families…
Amerika was built on busting up families. They're just making Amerika great again.

“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes”           

— Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III,  Human Impersonator

Bottom of the boat

rocking, rolling, thrashing

Violently— the quaking black

hole now her life. She had

No idea where she was

on the awful ocean,

Traveling shackled for

thousands of miles;

belly beginning to bulge

with the baby of her foul-

smelling rapist and his

“Zero Tolerance” policy

for

tears…

She would bore four more for

a ‘Master,’ who’d sell her

to the West Virginian wanting

her in the worst way—

Ripping picaninnies from

nursing breasts to become

bucks and wenches, working

fields and lusts of slavers—“that

was then,” they say, “this is now:”

“Mama, Mama, Papa, Papa, Mama, Papa…”

tears of toddlers flooding searing shrieks,

Torturous cacophony; the satanic symphony,

counterpoint to cool BOP, ICE acronyms—

Amerikkka's great again—

At separating children from parents;

At spinning swastikas into scripture…

Once upon a time, mint julep-sipping,

Bullwhip-wielding christians in castles whitewashed by

Black labor, worked children and parents to death—

“And everyone lived happily ever after…”

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is Black Agenda Report's poet in residence. Click his name in red to see more of his work here at Black Agenda Report. For much more of his work, or to contact him for booking and other purposes visit http://upsurgejazz.com.

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


More Stories


  • John Perry
    How the Human Rights Industry Manufactures Consent for “Regime Change”
    08 Jan 2025
    The international human rights apparatus comprises a web of organizations, task forces, committees, and the United Nations itself. What has developed into an entire industry over the last several…
  • x
    The Editors
    Black Agenda Report Will Return on January 8, 2025
    21 Dec 2024
    The Black Agenda Report team are taking our annual end of year break. We will be back with a new issue on January 8, 2025. Thanks for your support and have a great holiday season!
  • Black Agenda Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley and Glen Ford
    Black Agenda Radio December 20, 2024
    20 Dec 2024
    This week, we hear about an ongoing court case involving the CUNY 8 and Palestine solidarity protest. But first, we speak with Omali Yeshitela of the Uhuru 3, who were recently sentenced to probation…
  • Uhuru 3 press conference
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Omali Yeshitela Discusses the Uhuru 3 Victory
    20 Dec 2024
    Chairman Omali Yeshitela and the Uhuru 3 were convicted of conspiracy in a federal case alleging that they acted under the direction of the Russian government. They were recently sentenced to…
  • CUNY Encampment
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The CUNY 8 Face Charges for Palestine Solidarity Protest
    20 Dec 2024
    Nora Fayad, one of the CUNY 8 arrested and charged with felony burglary and accused of attempting to enter a campus building without permission, joins us to discuss their court case.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us