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

Buzzed In By Lewis
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
01 Feb 2018
🖨️ Print Article

5 in the morning, ‘The Lewis Sawyer Experience’
early morning Boys Club in Papa Sawyer’s Cave:
My lick for Lewis, “Lewis Sawyer, is my lawyer—”
his classic chuckle-comeback, “Well, you’re in bad shape then!”
Poets and last words, “Well, David McBurney is my attorney…”
But Lewis was a bullhorn, shouting names of our Political Prisoners,
Prisoners Of War, languishing forgotten in gulags across imprisoned
nation. He put 59,000 watts beneath their wings,without fanfare—
While reminding us: we’re just in Minimum Security…

Being buzzed in to the Mother Ship by Lewis
felt safe, welcome—presence appreciated—in
Good hands, a trillion times more reliable than Allstate
Lewis was the first face I’d see at the station—
unerring source for five-star information

Warmth was his uniform; his smile his badge,
reflecting respect back like a mirror from the
Mountaintop: all the authority a badass Angel,
sweet scientist, who could handle ‘situations…’
Required; I emerged from ‘Lewis Sawyer Experiences’
with double shot expresso optimism

A modest, minimalist, Monk life-stylist—
Count Basie of Kindness—
Not a whole lot of notes there
but his voicings sung and swung;
Duke Ellington of Passion:
Things he loved, he loved madly—
speaking of love—Lewis was LOVE
Not a mushy, gushy, sentimental bubblegum LOVE
But, an I believe in you, when no one else believes LOVE
I honor your light, anything I can do to amplify it LOVE
As you stand on stage, I’ll sit in the audience LOVE
Anything you need early in the morning LOVE
Release your worry beads, I got your back LOVE
Harness your hardships, “too big to fail” LOVE

Let’s suppose that place
preachers speak of Sundays
Exists; suppose I make the cut—
I bet Lewis will be there buzzing me in… Lewis Sawyer:
Presente!

poetry

More Stories


  • Mark P. Fancher
    In Niger Imperialism Is No Match For the People’s Power
    27 Sep 2023
    The people of Niger have mobilized in mass to defend their country from U.S. and French imperialist interference.
  • Erica Caines
    All Black Feminisms Ain’t Created Equal
    27 Sep 2023
    Black feminism should be focused on the struggle against colonial structures and not solely on issues of personal empowerment. 
  • Prensa Latina
    Cuban President Praises Malcolm X’s Legacy in New York
    27 Sep 2023
    Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel paid tribute to Malcolm X on the anniversary of his historic meeting with Fidel Castro.
  • Larmbert Ebitu
    Pan-African Masquerade: William Ruto with the Mask Off
    27 Sep 2023
    Kenya's president William Ruto talks a good game about Pan-Africanism but in his short time in office he has become the reliable cover for U.S. imperialism.
  • Abayomi Azikiwe
    G77+China Holds Summit in Cuba Calling for a Different World Order
    27 Sep 2023
    Cuba hosted the recent G77+China Summit in Havana, where calls to change the existing world order were made by Global South nations.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us