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

My Wise Country Cousin on  Unca Jim Clyburn an de Sharp Rite Turn
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
11 Nov 2020
🖨️ Print Article
My Wise Country Cousin on  Unca Jim Clyburn an de Sharp Rite Turn
My Wise Country Cousin on  Unca Jim Clyburn an de Sharp Rite Turn

Son, it look lak Unca Jim say, “Las’ time I chek I’se de whip—
an’ got no time fo’ young Negroz wit all dey Blak Life lip…”
He say, “de Bibull  speak ob “spoilin’ de chile by sparin’ de rod!”
as he read de Riot Ak to whippasnappas ob ‘de Squad…’
“We rescued yo’ po’ asses frum Boss Tweet—de main dangur—
lak pullin’ Negroz feet frum fire ob W wit de Drone Rangur!”
We gib ‘de lef' movin’ space wit Ol’ Blak Schmo an’ Ladee Blu—
what else can me, Miss Nancy, Cap’n Steny an’ Tio Tomas do?

Jim say, “Git de foolishniss ob ‘Defun de Poleeze' out ob yo’ mouf—
lemme skool you, dat don’ cut no ice down here in de deep Souf…
I takes marchin’ ordurs frum Miss Nancy an’ Tio Tomas Perez—
dat don’ mean I do as dey do—dat mean dat I do as dey sez…”

Den Unca Jim axe, “What de mattur, y’all don’ lak my style?
Capitaliss Hill ‘bout de bizness ob reechin’ cross de ile…
Whoa, what’s wit  all de twistin’ ob yo’ faces up so strange
Ol’ Blak Schmo said, “Nuthin’ gon’ fundamentully change…”

Jim smile, “Enjoy de chikun wangs an’ bress; but quit smackin'—
Ol’ Blak Schmo tolt you on de $campain: he gud wit Frackin’…
Why, I’m  jus’ tellin’ y’all;  jus’ tryin’ my bes’ ta keep it real
Franklun, Clevelun, Chase is de DNC’s ‘Green New Deel…’”

Den, Ol’ Blak Schmo snap, “Quit all de ol’ Singul Payur talk—
‘Cause de ACA de only thang’ Ladee Blu an’ me  gon’ hawk…”
Unca Jim bark, “Nappy-headed foolishnus an’ naiveté showin’—
ebry thang Raytheon ain’t runnin’ belong to L-M— or to Boein’!”
© 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

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

Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Army of Artists (For My Friend Horace Silver)
17 December 2025
Harmony of a hug,Rhythm of a rose,Melody in the mirror
Editors, The Black Agenda Review
POEM: Poem for Walter Rodney, Edward Kamau Brathwaite, 1981  
11 June 2025
“any where or world where there is love there is the sky and its blue free
Editors, The Black Agenda Review
POEM: Reflections after the June 12th March of Disarmament, Sonia Sanchez, 1982
18 December 2024
“I have come to you tonite not just for the stoppage
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Love My Black Job
11 September 2024
Love my Black Job— Black Student Union Job! Hired at L.A. City College As “The Peoples Poet!”
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
MrJoeSam’s Text Messages
12 June 2024
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR’s poet-in-residence, pays homage to San Francisco’s shipyard artist JoeSam who died peacefully on June 1, 2024, surroun
Editors, The Black Agenda Review
POEM: Enemy of the Sun, Samih al-Qasim, 1970
29 May 2024
Read against the terrible incineration of Rafah today, this poem of resistance and refusal, by Pa
Raymond Nat Turner
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Dis-honest Broker
01 May 2024
"Dis-honest Broker" is the latest from BAR's Poet-in-Residence, recently performed at UpSurge!
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Raymond Nat Turner at the UpSurge Jazz Celebration
03 April 2024
 
Image of Refaat Alareer sitting in a crowd of graduates
Editors, The Black Agenda Review
POEM: If I Must Die, Refaat Alareer, 2023
13 December 2023
Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer, a martyr of zionist state genocidal violence, has left us with a tale of resistance and hope.
Protest for Palestine at the White House
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Trigger Warning
22 November 2023
Trigger Warning Palestine’s the Answer— What was the Question?

More Stories


  •  Afro-Pessimism and the (Un)Logic of Anti-Blackness
    Annie Olaloku-Teriba
    Afro-Pessimism and the (Un)Logic of Anti-Blackness
    19 May 2021
    Entrenched in anti-racist theory and practice today is the belief that all racial and ethnic domination is structured around a global hierarchy, with “white” people at the top and “black” people at
  • BAR Book Forum: Katrinell M. Davis’ “Tainted Tap”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Katrinell M. Davis’ “Tainted Tap”
    19 May 2021
    Activists and community organizers should be inspired by the work of elders engaged in social change.
  • Forum: Rosemarie Freeney Harding and Rachel Elizabeth Harding’s “Remnants”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Rosemarie Freeney Harding and Rachel Elizabeth Harding’s “Remnants”
    19 May 2021
    There is a need and desire among folks in activist communities for resources of ritual and spiritual grounding.
  • Saying Her Name
    Heather Ann Thompson
    Saying Her Name
    19 May 2021
    Remains that were found to be those of a Black MOVE teen-ager who was killed by Philadelphia police in 1985 were treated as an anthropological specimen.
  • The Police “Just Launched a War”
    J. Lester Feder
    The Police “Just Launched a War”
    19 May 2021
    Do some, most or all US police departments have a pattern and practice of racial bias that makes them fundamentally unable to regulate themselves?
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us