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


  • The Empire Provides A Paper Trail To The Conflict In Ukraine, No Matter What The Latte Left Says
    Jacqueline Luqman
    The Empire Provides A Paper Trail To The Conflict In Ukraine, No Matter What The Latte Left Says
    18 Jan 2023
    Ukraine is a challenge to those who claim to be on the left. War propaganda tells us to support U.S. imperialism, but even cursory knowledge of the facts shows that the U.S. and its allies provoked…
  • BAP Haiti/Americas Team Condemns the Dina Boluarte Coup Regime’s Violent Repression of Protesters in Perú
    Black Alliance for Peace Haiti/Americas Team
    BAP Haiti/Americas Team Condemns the Dina Boluarte Coup Regime’s Violent Repression of Protesters in Perú
    18 Jan 2023
    The Haiti/Americas Team of the Black Alliance for Peace Condemns the Dina Boluarte Coup Regime’s Violent Repression of Protesters in Perú .
  • Is the promise of 30,000 visas a Trojan horse?
    Kim Ives
    Is the promise of 30,000 visas a Trojan horse?
    18 Jan 2023
    Washington's announcement that 30,000 new visas would be made available to Haitians raised more questions than it answered.
  • Africa in Review 2022, III: Mounting Challenges Require Long Term Solutions
    Abayomi Azikiwe
    Africa in Review 2022, III: Mounting Challenges Require Long Term Solutions
    18 Jan 2023
    Peace accord in Ethiopia, COP27 at Sharm-el-Sheikh and the second continental public health summit portend much for the coming years.
  • Analyst Suffered 20 Years in US Prison for Helping Cuba, Still Condemns ‘Suffocating’ Blockade
    Ben Norton
    Analyst Suffered 20 Years in US Prison for Helping Cuba, Still Condemns ‘Suffocating’ Blockade
    18 Jan 2023
    Former DIA analyst Ana Belén Montes was imprisoned for 20 years for sharing intelligence with Cuba that helped it prevent US attacks and sabotage. Upon being released, she condemned the “suffocating…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us