The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)

Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence

23 Jun 2021

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs…” —Karl Marx

Reclined in my dentist’s chair, daydreaming in
Numbers: #s 13, 15, 18, 19— “5 on # 13; 7 on # 15;
5 on # 18; 7 on # 19—“ Problematic, impacted,
subtracted, divided—fractured, cracked numbers…
Unequal distal-lingual locations of class struggle;
where whirring drills and best shots stand down
Awaiting orders of statesmen long dead. I realize
glory days of my smile may be numbered, since
Sticker shock causes death under capitalism…

Reclined in my dentist’s chair, flashbacks from
warehouse worker-janitor-library worker life
whizz by… Surviving on years of poetry wages;
Years of “uninsured” low wealth; Years of popcorn
cracks and fractures in dimly lit theaters. Years of
cruisin’ Harlem’s Sugar Hill for what a friend’s
Mom calls: “Coffee AND…” Coffee AND coffee cake;
Coffee AND cake; Coffee AND cookies, donuts—Coffee
AND brownies from bodegas open 24/7 when breaking
from Big Apple writing wars and crowned Cultural Worker

Reclined in my dentist’s chair, titanium thoughts
sniping bullshit slogans like: “Build back better!”
Rewinding fierce firefights for universal health-
care for all: Like W and Schmuck Cheney before—
Boss Tweet and Schmo Biden after—
The Drone Ranger smothered it with
‘Surges,’ ‘signature strikes’ and boots on the ground

Reclined in my dentist’s chair, chuckling, thinking of
how I’d look—eyes bugged out—cowering, trembling
in the corner, babbling: “Teeth don’t fail me now…”
I remind myself, “It’s not personal, it’s business…” And
Relapse into a deep state of reasonableness, demanding the
Impossible: Dental Care sleazy senators filibustering voting
rights receive…Dental Care corrupt congressmen with kick-
back-stuffed jackets get…Dental Care killer cops bending badges
Celebrating kills get…

https://gofund.me/ef0f14a1

Raymond Nat Turner is an accomplished poet and performing artist, and an official of the National Writers Union. Find more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com

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