Division’s still 1% survival math

Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence

03 May 2023

🖨️ Print Article

Division’s still 1% survival math

“In many ways a lot has changed

and, in many ways, a lot has not changed.”

—Harry Belafonte

In Cancer Alleys where fossil fuel

crosses burn;

In lily-white enclaves with Indigenous

names for drunken anti-Black spaces

Division’s still 1% survival math.

Still churning waves in Wayback Machines

where Fox-box Bubbas born blind “look away”

to cotton field copaganda: “Where woke goes to die”

Division’s still 1% survival math—

Albatross around desperate necks

mouthing, “I can’t breathe!” with

Weight of states’ rights knees/bottom

dragging anchors—exercising out-sized

Control on our spiraling forward motion!

Division’s still 1% survival math

on bloody battlefields commemorated with two

story traitors’ statues—revered war criminals—

reveling in civil war crimes/crimes against humanity

Division’s still 1% survival math

Fiery hell where cruel governors cut grand

dragon teeth, crafting plantation education at

21st century whipping posts. Still crucibles where

sheriffs train as exalted cyclops—klansmen with

pensions, paid vacations, overtime, six-figure

salaries And rolls of yellow tape for christening hate

crimes.

Division’s still 1% survival math

Where even Harry Potter’s an imperial wizard

with Dixie magic right to work for low-wage laws—

Cesspool where serpents slither ‘round super

markets, sanctuaries, schools fondling sticks with

triggers and

wearing red dunce caps proclaiming, “Make Amerikkka

Grate!” …Again…

© 2023. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe and PayPal.

MAGA

Donald Trump

Ron DeSantis

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

Related Stories

More Stories