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

Waiters
Bill Quigley
02 Sep 2009
🖨️ Print Article
upsurge2
by Raymond Nat Turner
 
Ever attended a sumptuous repast where everything you wanted was out of reach, unavailable, "off the table".  To Raymond Nat Turner, poet-impresario of Oakland's UpSurge Jazz, this sounds suspiciously familiar.  Could it happen??

                   Waiters

                (For Caffie, Cindy and Cynthia)

Suppose… the state was a king-sized ATM and money-

Laundering machine for Wall Street Gangs—ludicrous

Criminal enterprise code-named Café Attitude, posing as

Five-star restaurant, where greasy-palmed waiters with Enron

Ethics and Haliburton hands, strut like star-spangled peacocks?

Suppose… armed to the teeth torturers strong-armed customers,

Premium prices for self-service, while customers’ wishes and

Suggestions were 86ed—outrageous restaurant of overbearing

Waiters, browbeating customers: “You’ve paid, now make us serve you!”

Impeachment, please

“Off the table!”

End of Iraq war, please

“Off the table!”

Afghanistan Kibosh?

“Off the table!”

 

Prosecuted Torturers, rare

“Off the table!”

A side of Single Payer, please

“Off the table!”

Employee Free Choice…

“Off the table!”

Amnesty For Undocumented…

“Off the table!”

Suppose… confused customers ask, “Well, what’s on the table?”

As sullen waiters, grab their crotches, and shout in unison:

“Order up!”

Stuffed Swiss Bank Accounts on Lobbyist Loaf;

Cayman Island TARP in Shadow Government Gravy;

“Order up!”

Sustainable-War Cash Cow with Supplemental Soup;

War Profiteer Pork with Cold Cash Garnish…

“Order up!”

Rotten Red Herring in Homeland Security Sauce;

Disaster Capitalist Crepes with Insurance Gangster Kebobs;

“Order up!”

Bi-Partisan Pork Stew with Arthur Anderson Cooked-Books;

Hot Air Poppycock prepared with Palm Grease…

“Order up!”

Layoff Lasagna with Fresh Foreclosure Salad;

Tighten Your Belt Tuna Melt Po’Boys ;

“Order up!”

Fluffy, Fox Mumbo-Jumbo with Race Card Rice;

Re-Heated Hope Succotash with A Shovel of Salt…

“Order up!”

Stolen Sweat Souffle with White Phosphorus Puree;

Crushed National Liberation Movement Coup-Coup—

Drizzled with Warm, Fresh Blood and Brine of Tears;

“Order up!”

Our Desserts are to die for…

Ton-Ton-Free, Thin –Crust Haitian Mud Pies…

“Order up!”

Af-Pak Pudding with Drone Strike Scones, light,

Flaky, Missile-Studded Scones served with a

Warm Creamy, Vanilla Collateral Damage Sauce;

“Order up!”

High Value Targets served on warm, moist beds of

Blood and guts, tender chunks of flesh in beguiling

Blood and Brain Batter, served on Pulverized Rubble—yum!

“Order up!”

Guantanamo Gelato served on Sheriff Joe’s Sweet Bread;

Waterboard Wedges served with Force Fed Fudge;

“Order up!”

Three Drug Cocktail Capitalist Punishment Punch;

Katrina Strange Fruit Flavored Sorbet; Brownie is extra…

“Order up!”

Suppose… customers, finally, dash for the door, and

Shove aside waiters demanding tips— and 30 pieces of silver?

 

Raymond Nat Turner © 2009 All Rights Reserved

Raymond Nat Turner is a Bay Area poet and impresario of UpSurge Jazz.  Visit them at http://upsurgejazz.com, and pick up one of their CDs.

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


More Stories


  • AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #42
    US Out of Africa Network
    AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #42
    26 Oct 2022
    The Black Alliance for Peace AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #42 focuses on the role of AFRICOM in creating coups across the continent and speaks with Ameth Lô, who is a member of the Group for Research and…
  • Nuclear High Noon in Europe
    Scott Ritter
    Nuclear High Noon in Europe
    26 Oct 2022
    Now is the time for Biden to clarify U.S. nuclear doctrine. But he remains silent.
  • West Must Stop Blocking Ukraine-Russia Negotiations
    Vijay Prashad
    West Must Stop Blocking Ukraine-Russia Negotiations
    26 Oct 2022
    The refusal to initiate talks is prolonging a war that is ugly and unnecessary​​​​​​​.
  • The Black Alliance for Peace Welcomes Delayed Security Council Vote on Western Invasion of Haiti
    Black Alliance For Peace
    The Black Alliance for Peace Welcomes Delayed Security Council Vote on Western Invasion of Haiti
    26 Oct 2022
    The Black Alliance for Peace amplifies the demand of the Haitian people. UN representatives of the Peoples Republic of China and the Russian Federation must use their veto power to stop the…
  • Manufacturing Consent for the Containment and Encirclement of China
    Carlos Martinez
    Manufacturing Consent for the Containment and Encirclement of China
    26 Oct 2022
    Western media are waging a systematic propaganda campaign against China, to manufacture consent for the US-led new cold war.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us