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

Archaic capitalism’s COVID cops?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
13 May 2020
Archaic capitalism’s COVID cops?
Archaic capitalism’s COVID cops?

What if COVID-19 came and
drove down crime by 40%?
What if capitalism’s cops be-
came useless 

patchwork quilts of punitive
policing—cruel citations and 
fines? Stagecoach drivers in 
Tesla times? Milk pails beneath
bulls on the Sahara Desert?

What if we found we could live 
Life 
without gifts of nips/‘roid rage?
Hatred, anger, fear, cortisol and 
adrenaline…
Which go on giving… in immune
system stressed times we tread?

What if there was no need for
their weekly vignettes of
Violence on videos going viral?

What if we abolished abuse as
absurd as—lies as ludicrous as:
I shot you because
you had no mask on
I shot you because
you had a mask on
I shot you because
you weren’t physically-distancing
I shot you because
you were physically-distancing 
I shot you because you coughed
I shot you because you sneezed
I shot you because you tested positive
I shot you because you tested negative
I shot you because you were untested
I shot you because we’re in it together
I shot you because I heard immunity—
and it sounded like herd impunity…???

© 2020. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.       

BAR’s poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner is an accomplished performing artist. You can find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com .

COMMENTS?

Please join the conversation on Black Agenda Report's Facebook page at http://facebook.com/blackagendareport

Or, you can comment by emailing us at [email protected]

poetry

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


Related Stories

Our ‘democracy’
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Our ‘democracy’
23 July 2021
Shangri-La—untaxed, socially-distanced champagne- caviar, Cayman Island, yacht crowds who
Pigment of your Imagination: Black magic mascots, props and sops?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Pigment of your Imagination: Black magic mascots, props and sops?
15 July 2021
Could the pigment of your imagination cause Black magic mascots, props, sops— Black faces in high places—
A known known…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
A known known…
08 July 2021
“…there are known knowns. There are things we know that we know. There are known
Twerkers of the World you might…(Or when they go low we get high?)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Twerkers of the World you might…(Or when they go low we get high?)
01 July 2021
“History repeats itself,  first as tragedy, second as farce.” —Karl Marx
The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)
23 June 2021
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs…” —Karl Marx
The Town Crier’s List of Who’s Who in the capitalist state machine
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
The Town Crier’s List of Who’s Who in the capitalist state machine
16 June 2021
“Ain’t no power like the power of the people— ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop!” bouncing 
Ladee Blu: Another Monroe Doctrine delivery system 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Ladee Blu: Another Monroe Doctrine delivery system 
09 June 2021
Raytheon’s craven raven Co-signing for mass murder: “Mowing the grass…” Now… Ladee Blu on a fool’s errand dis-
MOVE Tulsa to Gaza…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
MOVE Tulsa to Gaza…
02 June 2021
The Mass Shooting Of The Day— this time was in San Jose… Do you know the way to San Jose?
Raymond Nat Turner , BAR poet-in-residence
Preachin’ to the Choir (for Joe, Linda, Tim…)
26 May 2021
2020’s hindsight—frost in the rearview mirror. Miles Ahead… I’m Sheltered in Solidarity with National Poetry Month and
Herd impunity?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Herd impunity?
19 May 2021
What if a colonial settler state accidentally vaccinated 61% of its population With a virulent variant of a vicious virus?

More Stories


  • Enes Kanter Exposes Connection Between Sinophobia and Anti-Black Racism
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    Enes Kanter Exposes Connection Between Sinophobia and Anti-Black Racism
    01 Dec 2021
    Recent remarks made by an NBA player show that Sinophobia represents backward foreign policy and invitations to amplify racist tropes in the U.S.
  • The Drone Ranger gallops into Glasgow
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    The Drone Ranger gallops into Glasgow
    01 Dec 2021
                                                                                                            The Drone Ranger gallops into Glasgow
  • BAR Book Forum: Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson’s “Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson’s “Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back”
    01 Dec 2021
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
  • Democracy Scores Another Victory Over the U.S. in Honduras
    Black Alliance For Peace
    Democracy Scores Another Victory Over the U.S. in Honduras
    01 Dec 2021
    The people of Honduras secured a victory against U.S. interference with the convincing win of Xiomara Castro as their new president.
  • #NoMore Censorship of Africa’s Roving Digital Army of Peace
    Simon Tesfamariam
    #NoMore Censorship of Africa’s Roving Digital Army of Peace
    01 Dec 2021
    The removal of Twitter accounts advocating for peace in the Horn of Africa shows the connection between the state and big tech companies.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us