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A lil’ homegoing homage to Brother Donald…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
27 Apr 2022
A lil’ homegoing homage to Brother Donald…
Donald Smith at @ Muhu Future Music Festival JUU JÄÄB 2010 (Photo: Youtube)

Donald Smith always performed at Black Agenda Report events in New York City. He was a great musician and friend to the Black Agenda Report team. He will be missed.

                                                                          A lil’ homegoing homage to Brother Donald…

Humble Harlem musicmaster
strolled softly bearing gifts
Fingers fluent in 88 languages.
Those who know—KNOW—Virgo
flow of piano prodigy.Know The Big
Bend of great gospel genes from way
Down Where the South Begins

Humble Harlem music master
strolled softly as the morning sun-
rise. Through 5 decades of Cat calls for
playing Great Black Music outside tiny
boxes: BebopDoowopHiphop…
Sing/sang some‘Starlight & You’ like
a Nat King Cole kinda Cat

Humble Harlem music master,
strolled softly—until Now Is The Time for
Illuminating scintillating Cosmic Echoes—
vapor trails…Shadows of Saturn out where
Ra’s running rings ‘round the rest and best
from Showman’s, St. Nick’s, Benta’s in the
key of greatness… You will be welcomed!!!

Humble Harlem music master,
strolled softly…Farewell dear friend/neighbor.
Miss Sugar Hill stoop extended conversations—
Miss catching up before or after your Texas Star
stop
Who will answer my questions? Who will offer
guidance—share an obligatory Bu story or stories
of other legends infusing your legacy?

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

Former forklift driver/warehouse worker/janitor, 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   PayPal: paypal.me/towncrierRNT

African American Culture
Music
Harlem
Donald Smith

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