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 The State Machine’s Machinegun-Totin’ Cops… 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
20 Aug 2014
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner

Dey got Glocks, pumps, tasirs, peppurspray, vess—
White magik fo’ conjurin’ cases ob “resisin’ aress!”

My Wise Country Cousin on The State Machine’s Machinegun-Totin’ Cops… 

by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner

Look lak de Daltuns, Youngas an ol’ James gangs
Is resirrecit, an’ up ridin’ again, doin’ dey thangs—
Bowdin’ de D train wit machinegun-totin’ police
Dey needin’ dat firepower fo’ “keepin’ de peace?”
‘Less Al Kater on de A, Boocoo Harome on de B
Dem damn machineguns make no sense, to me…
‘Less Eyesool on de C, an’ Eyesis down on de D
Dem damn machineguns make no sense, to me…
Dey got Glocks, pumps, tasirs, peppurspray, vess—
White magik fo’ conjurin’ cases ob “resisin’ aress!”

Dey shoutin’ night an’ day‘bout Eyesool and Eyesis
Coverin’ up de fac dey sistum’s tremblin’ wit crisis:
Workin’ folk tired ob takeaways an’ myzerly charity
Caint take much mo’ ob dese heists called awesterity—
Son, I tolt you once, tolt you twice, dis makes thrice
Dis a police state Negroz an’ liberuls call ‘paradice!’

Dey got C-Is, Demografick Units an Mosk Crawlers,
Ebben mens among trash hallers, an’ cable installers…
Now, it lookin’ lak to me dat Bloody Billy Bratton
Is bringin’ dat ol’ SS mess up here in Manhattun…
Sho lookin’ lak what de youngtaz be callin’ po-po
Is jes de Furor’s ol’ gang ob thugs de Gustop-po—
Well, so much fo’ hare-splittin,’ ackademik debate,
It pas’ time fo’ callin’ dis muthafucka a police state!

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at Raymond (at) upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2105 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 Forgotten Socialist History of Martin Luther King Jr.
    Matthew Miles Goodrich
    The Forgotten Socialist History of Martin Luther King Jr.
    29 Jan 2020
    MLK was dreaming of a socialist future long before the tumultuous decade of the Sixties.
  • What’s wrong with the IHRA “working definition” of Anti-Semitism?
    Tim Anderson
    What’s wrong with the IHRA “working definition” of Anti-Semitism?
    29 Jan 2020
    The idea that Israel cannot be targeted or criticized as a “racist endeavor” is an absurd suggestion.
  • The World Demands U.S. Out of the Middle East – Will the U.S. Listen?
    Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers
    The World Demands U.S. Out of the Middle East – Will the U.S. Listen?
    29 Jan 2020
    American troops in Iraq are at increasing risk every day the US stays in that sovereign nation.
  • Juan Guaidó: One Year of Promises and Submission to Donald Trump
    Peoples Dispatch Staff
    Juan Guaidó: One Year of Promises and Submission to Donald Trump
    29 Jan 2020
    What has happened in the year since Juan Guaidó declared himself president of Venezuela?
  • Blues for Jimmy: In Celebration of the Life of Jimmy Heath
    Earl Hazell
    Blues for Jimmy: In Celebration of the Life of Jimmy Heath
    29 Jan 2020
    The author studied jazz composition and arranging under “a funny, smart-aleck, short, kind, genius composer and tenor sax player” – a musical giant. 
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us