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

What Would the Ancestors Say?
Margaret Kimberley, BAR editor and senior columnist
14 Nov 2012
🖨️ Print Article

 

by Raymond Nat Turner

Baptist, baritone strains:

"I've been to the mountaintop,

But this is not the mountaintop”

 

What Would the Ancestors Say?

by Raymond Nat Turner

 

I know

I know

I know...

Harriet Tubman didn't slide

In and out of the slave south

Nineteen times, $40,000 reward

Hanging over her head like a

Scimitar, or Samurai sword;

Medgar didn't die in his driveway

Like a dog put down in the pound;

Malcolm didn't die on floor

Of the Audubon Ballroom;

King didn't die on chitlin' curcuit

Balcony of the Lorraine Motel;

Fred didn't die in his bed, under

Hooves of Chicago death squads

For tomfoolery---nappy-headed

Foolishness--- Negroz shrinking

To plantation Rip Van Winkles

Hung over on Ol' Massa's

Jim Jones Juice (January '09)

The eve of world revolution...

 

I know

I know

I know...

She would be leveling her pistol,

Leaving at least a half dozen dead

Negroz, after commanding "Forward,

Or die!"

 

I know

I know

I know...

He would be tongue-lashing

Negroz with his Harlem-tinged

Tough love: "You've been had,

You've been took, you've been

Hoodwinked, you've been bamboozled!"

 

I know

I know

I know...

He would be intoning in African,

Baptist, baritone strains:

"I've been to the mountaintop,

But this is not the mountaintop,

No, and I'm concerned that if you

Continue traversing this treacherous

Trail you're on, during the dark and

Difficult days ahead, not only will you

Not get to the mountaintop, you will

Find yourselves descending to depths

So low that it will require you taking an

Elevator up eighty-six floors; climbing

Forty flights of stairs to a sub cellar of

Sin, standing on a step ladder on your

Tiptoes, just to suck the Devil's dick---

 

No, I'm afraid I can't be your drum

Major on this one---

The drones must be stopped,

The satanic wars ceased, and

The barbaric killing of other peoples'

Babies ended---forever..."

Raymond Nat Turner (c) 2012 All Rights Reserved

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


More Stories


  • "Election Meddling Command Posts" from CNN to Yahoo News and the DNC
    Ann Garrison , BAR contributor
    "Election Meddling Command Posts" from CNN to Yahoo News and the DNC
    24 Jul 2019
    In their hysteria to scapegoat Russia and Julian Assange for all that’s wrong with the US, the corporate press and politicos have made themselves look ridiculous.
  • We’ve Been Here Before: Learning From the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
    Paul McLennan
    We’ve Been Here Before: Learning From the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
    24 Jul 2019
    We need to stick to a radical, principled, intersectional, anti-imperialist political orientation that trusts in the power of the people to make history.
  • Kamala Harris Claims Russia, Not US Racism, Behind Kaepernick Furor
    Alan MacLeod
    Kamala Harris Claims Russia, Not US Racism, Behind Kaepernick Furor
    24 Jul 2019
    The former career prosecutor sees Russians everywhere, but can’t recognize white supremacy.
  • Community Control Over Police: A Proposition
    Max Rameau
    Community Control Over Police: A Proposition
    24 Jul 2019
    Local districts could vote out their current police force and randomly selected residents would oversee the community’s new security arrangement.
  • Letters from Our Readers 
    Jahan Chowdhry, BAR Comments Editor
    Letters from Our Readers 
    24 Jul 2019
    This week we discuss Bernie Sanders political evolution, the role of Nancy Pelosi, and Trump’s conflict with the “squad.” Your letters are reproduced for “
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us