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


  • Jon Jeter
    Failing to Read the Room, Trump Treats Whites Like N-Words and Loses Ground
    19 Mar 2025
    Only 3 months into his term, there is a growing discontent among Trump’s white supporters as his policies harm their economic interests. There is potential for backlash if he continues to alienate…
  • Clau O'Brien Moscoso
    As Elections Near, Ecuador's Working Poor, African and Colonized Under Siege (Part 1)
    19 Mar 2025
    Ecuador was once a safe country with some of the best economic prospects in the region. Today, Ecuador has a nearly 500% increase in violent crimes and a marginalized population of poor, African, and…
  • Kodjovi Kpachavi
    Unwavering Wayiyans: A Bulletin on the Confederation of Sahel States
    19 Mar 2025
    The AES represents a significant shift away from neo-colonial influence, with its governments prioritizing economic development, agricultural self-sufficiency, women’s empowerment, and security. The…
  • Caribbean Network for Solidarity with Cuba
    The Entire Caribbean Rejects Rubio’s Attack!
    19 Mar 2025
    In the latest escalation of the blockade on Cuba, Marco Rubio announced an attack on Cuba's medical missions and, by extension, the healthcare of the entire region.
  • Iain Carlos , Sam Carlen
    DOJ Knew About - and Used - Notorious Homan Square "Black Site"
    19 Mar 2025
    It wasn't just Chicago Police operating Homan Square, the U.S. Department of Justice was equally involved in the workings of the "black site."
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us