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


  • W.E.B. Du Bois and the Paths to Communism: A Review
    Anthony Monteiro, BAR editor and columnist
    W.E.B. Du Bois and the Paths to Communism: A Review
    13 Jan 2021
    Du Bois, the father of Pan Africanism and the towering theorist of race, was – just as importantly -- one of the great theorists of communism.
  • The Capitol Catastrophe and Trump’s Hijacked White Nationalism
    Mark P. Fancher
    The Capitol Catastrophe and Trump’s Hijacked White Nationalism
    13 Jan 2021
    Trump threw a monkey wrench into the capitalist system’s population management machine.
  • Letters from Our Readers
    Jason Choudhry, BAR Comments Editor
    Letters from Our Readers
    13 Jan 2021
    “The Squad Won’t Fight Pelosi and Corporate Power” by Glen Ford 
  • BAR Book Forum: Zakiya Luna’s “Reproductive Rights as Human Rights”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Zakiya Luna’s “Reproductive Rights as Human Rights”
    13 Jan 2021
    This book is a story about a group of (mostly) women who wanted to make change and understood that liberation is an inside job.  
  • BAR Book Forum: Chris A. Barcelos’ “Distributing Condoms and Hope”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Chris A. Barcelos’ “Distributing Condoms and Hope”
    13 Jan 2021
    Replacing cops with social workers could “reproduce the same kinds of harm,” as this author explains.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us