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

Wizard of Oz redux— …and some casting questions…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
24 Aug 2022
🖨️ Print Article
Wizard of Oz redux—  …and some casting questions…

                                                                                                                     Wizard of Oz redux—

                                                                                                            …and some casting questions…

Suppose Hollywood hits you up
‘bout this big budget redo of
The Wizard of Oz? What if they
say it’s all your call…’cept this?

They say you must shoot in Uvalde
using locals. No big name stars. Do you say
“OK” when they say, “And you must cast the
Cops?” Or, do you ask—“What as?”

Angry Apple Tree? Crows in the Corn
Field? Ozmites? Tin Polishers? Horse
of Another Color? Almira Gulch’s bi
cycle?

Lullaby League? Lollipop Guild? Scare
crow? Sleepyheads? Munchkin Fiddlers?
Munchkin Soldiers? Munchkin Barristers?
Munchkin Mayor? Munchkin Coroner?

Hunk? Uncle Henry? Hickory? Toto?
Dorthy Gale? Aunt Em? Almira Gulch?
Professor Marvel? Tin Man? Glinda?
Wizard? Wicked Witch? Ruby Slippers?

Winged Monkeys instructed: “Take your Army
to the Haunted Forest and bring me those boys
and girls! Do what you want with the others—
They'll give you no trouble I promise you that?”

Winkies chanting, “O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!” into
radios in the school hallway? Hearing, “Poppies,
poppies, poppies” instead of some shooter’s
Pop-pop-pop-pops for some 70 minutes?

Are we leaving any characters out?

© 2022. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe and PayPal.

Uvalde

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Young child in Gaza
    Nora Barrows-Friedman
    Israel is Still Killing Three People Per Day in Gaza
    19 Mar 2025
    Israel has violated its ceasefire agreement with Hamas. But Israel never truly adhered to it, instead choosing to continue its genocidal policies.
  • Ajamu Baraka
    ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist , Dr.Wilmer J. Leon, III
    Ajamu Baraka on Syria, European Austerity & U.S. Political Chaos
    19 Mar 2025
    What happens when wars drag on, economies shrink, and political leaders fail to respond? Syria remains in turmoil as foreign powers fuel instability, prolong suffering, and manipulate the crisis for…
  • Black Agenda Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio March 14, 2025
    14 Mar 2025
    In this week’s segment, we discuss new foreign policy towards Ukraine and why the Trump administration hopes to further US interests by departing not only from the Biden administration but from…
  • Rodrigo Duterte
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Ajamu Baraka on Human Rights: ICC for Duterte but Not For Netanyahu
    14 Mar 2025
    Rodrigo Duterte, former president of the Philippines, is now in the Hague, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant charging him with crimes committed during his six years…
  • Donald Trump and Zelensky
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Gerald Horne Analyzes Trump's Ukraine Policy
    14 Mar 2025
    Dr. Gerald Horne is an author and historian currently holding the John J. and Rebecca Moores Chair of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston. Dr. Horne is a prolific author…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us