by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner
BAR's poet in residence reminds us that Cleveland has been taking shots as well as making shots for a long time now...
Cleveland Championship?
by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner
āThe power to kill compounds the need to killā
-Judith Wright
LeBron shot 38 times,
Scored 44, needing 11
More shots to out shoot
One Cleveland pig; 107
More to out shoot the
Pigās shoot-around, firing
Squad, fearing-for-their-
Lives, āFlash Brothersāā
Red-hot muzzles blazing,
Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-
Pop-pop popcorn cordite,
Awful thud-thud-thud-thud-
Thud of their bullets burrowing,
Pock marking thin night skin of
The old baby blue Malibu Malissa
Williamsā and Timothy Russellās
Disfigured faces and heads lay,
Blooming crimson on the Chevyās
Steering wheel and dashboard
Clevelandās āFlash Brothers,ā
Cavalier killers of Black folk,
Out shot Sean Bellās, Amadou
Dialloās Big Apple shooters,
Out shot Mike Brownās murderer
Walter Scottās South Carolina
Killer, out shot olā Thronberry,
āRidersā from āTha Town,ā out
Shot Oaktown shooters of Gary
King, Melvin Black, Charles
Briscoe, Casper Banjo, but no
Championship for Cleveland
Two seconds on the clock
Clevelandās āFlash Brothers,ā
Cavalier killers of Black folk,
Shoot a 12-year-old boy, tackle
His 14-year-old sister, threaten
His mom with arrest; flagrantly
Fouling out of the human raceā
Like Philly pigs bombing, barbequing
11 MOVE children and adults,
Razing 60 homes, no championship
For Cleveland
So, why am I so slow to share bliss
Blanketing āTha Townā like morning
Fog? Oaktown earned it olā fashioned
Ways: Oscar Grant, Occupy Oakland,
āGeneral Strikeā street heat, port shut-
Downs āgainst apartheid states near/far!
So, why am I so conflicted, digging
Young cats, Ali-less, Russell-less,
Kareem-less, Brown-less, Coltrane-
Like, working craft, remaining humble?
Is it because of the ābigs,ā
Backing us down, running set plays,
Serial wars, making us settleā low
Percentage shots every two/four years?
Is it because of the ābigs,ā
Swatting Black lives away through thin blue
Lines, high fructose corn syrup food deserts,
Chicken colonies of poverty and obesity?
Is it because of the ābigsāā
Grubb, Coldwell, Wells Fargo banksters,
Remax Red Oak, and their sneering FOR
SALE/SOLD signs, dominating down low?
Is it because of the ābigsāā
Boarding up houses, shuttering schools,
Libraries, parks, rec centers and erecting
Ever grander play palaces to themselves?
Is it because of the ābigsā
Off-shoring jobs and subbing
Arrogant settlers, upturned noses, barking
Dogs, for Caterpillar, Peterbilt, Postal, GM,
Highland Hospital, Naval Shipyard, starters?
Is it because of the ābigsā
Bounce passes to haters of Blacks,
FOX-box trolls, disguised as fans
Standing ātheirā ground, 2nd place
āWinnersā with the1%!
Overseer tones to 55-inch screens,
Commanding Black bodies: ācut,ā
āStop dribbling,ā ādrive,ā āshoot,ā
āCome out aggressive,ā āgo strong
To the hole,ā āplay hurt,ā donāt holler
āI canāt breathe,ā āHands up, donāt
Shoot,ā donāt ābulk up like Hulk
Hogan,ā ārun through shots,ā donāt
Take off running, make āeye contact,ā
Or resist āarrestā from fetal positionsā
500lbs of knees in your backā¦
Is it because of the ābigsā
Finding ways to win, sweeping stats mattering
Mostātriple-doubles, Dr. King drew up ā67ā
No matter who hoists trophies, lines parades as
Kings, for a day?
Raymond Nat Turner Ā© 2015 All Rights Reserved
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