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

The Unemployment Question(s)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
04 Feb 2014

by Raymond Nat Turner

Livin’ on nothin’, while hunger works full time

No wonder, some brothers stumble into crime.

 

The Unemployment Question(s)

by Raymond Nat Turner

 

Licking bitter flaps on unemployment envelopes

somewhere under the rainbow

Lies

true hues

in bright Red,

Black

and dark Blues:

 

Drawin’ unemployment’s like drawin’ straws

Drawin’ unemployment’s like drawin’ straws

We come up short under rich folks’ laws.

 

Livin’ on nothin’, while hunger works full time

Livin’ on nothin’, while hunger works full time

No wonder, some brothers stumble into crime.

 

And the rich cry, “...crime, crime, crime” every day

And the rich cry, “...crime, crime, crime” every day

While cocaine’s trafficked by the C-I-A.

 

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

Stack-o-papers to fill out, askin’ dumb shit!

 

“State here the reason you’re out of work.”

“Answer the following then report to the clerk.”

“Will you accept work in your usual trade?”

“What’s your income with benefits paid?”

“Do you own a farm, or a ranch?”

“Do you have a savings? What branch?”

“Did you look for work all this past week?”

“Where did you go, with whom did you speak?”

“Are you a citizen of the U.S.?”

“If answering ‘No’, then why not ‘Yes’?”

“Have a seat and wait to be seen”

“Any questions about what we mean?”

“Anyone in line who voluntarily quit?”

“Step out — go over there and sit”

“Sorry, you can’t be seen until ten —”

 

“Provided, you fill this out for WIN...”

 

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

Appointment

with

revolution

When we fit…

 

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at upsurgejazz.com.

 

Raymond Nat Turner © 1986 All Rights Reserved

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


More Stories


  • The Execution of Julian Assange
    Chris Hedges
    The Execution of Julian Assange
    14 Dec 2021
    Julian Assange committed empire’s greatest sin. He exposed it as a criminal enterprise. He documented its lies, callous disregard for human life, rampant corruption and innumerable war crimes.
  • AFRICOM, the US Africa Command, Tool of U.S. Global Hegemony
    Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    AFRICOM, the US Africa Command, Tool of U.S. Global Hegemony
    08 Dec 2021
    The U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM, is a tool of destabilization for the US/EU/NATO axis of domination.
  • AFRICOM, the US Africa Command, Tool of U.S. Global Hegemony
    ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    AFRICOM, the US Africa Command, Tool of U.S. Global Hegemony
    08 Dec 2021
    The U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM, is a tool of destabilization for the US/EU/NATO axis of domination.
  • Democratic Party Betrayal, Abortion, and the Supreme Court
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Democratic Party Betrayal, Abortion, and the Supreme Court
    08 Dec 2021
    Democrats have been fooled into thinking that only the courts can protect abortion rights. In fact, legislation could protect abortion permanently, but their party has refused to do that.
  • People Centered Human Rights and the Black Radical Tradition
    ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    People Centered Human Rights and the Black Radical Tradition
    07 Dec 2021
    The West’s fiction of “human rights” has been weaponized by neoliberals to rationalize naked imperialist interventions.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us