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

Don't Play that Song
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
12 Sep 2018
🖨️ Print Article
this is what we do overseas
Don't Play that Song....

Don’t Sing That Song ‘bout

Bombs bursting in air,

Rocket’s red glare

Gave proof through the bus

40 children were dead.

Don’t Sing That Song

that “supports the troops”

Kicking in doors at 4AM;

Urinating on bodies

of Afghan fighters;

Defecating on

the Koran; Cutting

off ears and fingers—

Sporting them like

macabre trophies…

Don’t Sing That Song of

twilight’s last gleaming;

and perilous flight of

Hellfire Missiles from

Predator Drones—

white boy toys draining

treasure and blood:

Bankrupting us morally

Don’t Sing That Song—

‘bout a warfare state

with money for missiles,

Leaden water; collapsing

bridges; broken down

trains; Tent Cities and

citizens curled up on

cardboard—chanting,

“Spare change—

you can believe in?”

Don’t Sing That Song—

that slave masterpiece—

‘bout broad stripes on

brown backs; bright stars

in scrambled brains—Home

of the brave—gunning

down Black men in the streets

Don’t Sing That Song

Giving comfort to

War House Hitler-lovers

on Capitalist Hill,

White Supreme Court, slave

master statues, and military bases

named for confederate traitors

Don’t Sing That Song

Marvin prosecuted

for its soullessness—

Rene Marie face-

lifted with Every Voice—

as Nobel Drone Ranger

rammed her under the

bus with his Peace Prize—

Don’t Sing That Song

Jimi’s guitar tried

for war crimes at Woodstock!

Our poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner is an accomplished performing artist. Find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. 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


  • Haitian protester with the Haitian flag
    Black Agenda Radio
    Haiti Occupation Under the Cover of U.S. Led Black Face Imperialism
    08 Jan 2024
    Dr. Jemima Pierre is a Black Agenda Report contributing editor and a Professor of Global Race in the Institute of Race, Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice (GRSJ) at the University of British…
  • Al Aqsa crowd
    Black Agenda Radio
    Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
    07 Jan 2024
    We present excerpts of a press conference posted on the Hamas Telegram channel which explains the origins of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
  • FCNL Logo
    Black Agenda Radio
    Congressional Support for De-Escalation and Cease Fire in Gaza
    07 Jan 2024
    Hassan El-Tayyab, of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, discusses securing congressional support for a cease fire between Israel and Hamas.
  • Illustration of people pushing the USA up an incline
    Black Agenda Radio
    Alabama Ordered to Create Majority Black Congressional District
    02 Jan 2024
    Kareem Crayton is senior director for voting and representation at the Brennan Center for Justice.
  • New Afrikan Black Panther Party Logo
    Black Agenda Radio
    Black Politics in Newark, the US, and Around the World
    01 Jan 2024
    Zulu Sharod is Chairman of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party which is based in New Jersey.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us