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

For Fancy Miss Nancy
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
19 Dec 2018
🖨️ Print Article
Nancy Sue Wilson 1937-2018
Nancy Sue Wilson 1937-2018

Guess who I saw
today, black and white photo,
Marching, Montgomery from
Selma, ‘65?

Guess who I saw
at my high school swingin’ the
Trio; urging us to stay in school?

Guess who I,
was privileged to sequence
a later CD for, late one night?

…and you don’t know, you don’t know how
Glad I am that she
put the purr in whisper, with a sultry
Sound that could make subpoenas seem sensuous

…and you don’t know, you don’t know how
Glad I am that she
Appeared, sparkling, at the end of the
golden era—looking as good as she sounded—
Her face should grace
Buckeye State flags emblazoned
“There will never be another you…”

…and you don’t know, you don’t know how
Glad I am that she
Hovered earth— stunning hummingbird,
gorgeous humanitarian, giving the greatest
performance of her life, moments I loitered—
not seizing the time and asking, “When did
You leave heaven?”
Though, I think it was maybe ’37? I know she’s

Free Again…

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet and performing artist. You can find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

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 Indefensible Israeli Aparteid State
    Black Agenda Radio with Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
    The Indefensible Israeli Apartheid State
    18 Mar 2019
    “We’re seeing a crumbling of Israel’s ability to defend and promote the apartheid state,” said political analyst Chris Hedges. Rep.
  • Who Were US Mercenaries Targeting in Haiti?
    Black Agenda Radio with Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
    Who Were US Mercenaries Targeting in Haiti?
    18 Mar 2019
    Haitians have all kinds of theories on what seven heavily armed American mercenaries were up to when they were arrested outside the country’s Central Bank at the height of civil disturbances, last
  • get in the streets
    Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
    Community Control of Cops on a Roll in Chicago
    15 Mar 2019
    “The people have given us a referendum” on CPAC, the Civilian Police Accountability Commission, said Frank Chapman, of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repres
  • ADOS Shrinks Reparations Politics to Fit the Narrow Horizon of Tribalism
    Bruce A. Dixon , BAR managing editor
    ADOS Shrinks Reparationist Politics to Fit the Cramped Horizon of Tribalism
    15 Mar 2019
    “ADOS followers throw away the internationalism of their forbears, embracing instead a sometimes polite, but always frank hostility toward immigrants of all nations on the grounds that they
  • The Imperial Racist Saga Comes Home, Where It Began
    Glen Ford , BAR executive editor
    The Imperial Racist Saga Comes Home, Where It Began
    14 Mar 2019
    What makes US progressives think that the Lords of Capital will be more tolerant of austerity-busting ‘socialists’ here at home than they are with Venezuela?
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us