by Raymond Nat Turner
Tic-Tac-Toe, X versus O
Shrewd black buck dancer
O a cancer— X an answer
Malcolm X Tic-Tac-Toe in the Age of…Austerity?
by Raymond Nat Turner
Vertical, diagonal, horizontal moves
Of Malcolm X, martyr, giant, live on
Like simple grid, paper and pencil games
Of Noughts and Crosses, 3-in-a-row—
Tic-Tac-Toe in the age of… Austerity
X, like exciting, expanding, extending,
X, like exalting, exemplary, example,
Excelling, exceeding— revolutionary as
Exponential, unlimited—far as you dare!
O, as in hollow, phony, posture, nothing!
O as diversion, like COINTELPRO, Psy-
Op or false consciousness like blue-collar
Workers masquerading as middle-class!
3-in-a-row, X versus O
Tic-Tac-Toe, X versus O
Shrewd black buck dancer
O a cancer— X an answer!
Africom boots on the Congo
Banksters bagging big dough
Mother Africa their hoe
A peculiar quid pro quo
Slaves cheering status quo
Their beer full of GMO—
Madison Avenue mojo!
3-in-a-row, X versus O
Tic-Tac-Toe, X versus O
Shrewd black buck dancer
O a cancer— X an answer!
Negroz go pianissimo
Fiery X’s blocked by O,
Rich white house Negro,
Attorney Generalissimo
Super of Guantanamo
Teachers rise against O
Working-class Tic-Tac-Toe!
3-in-a-row, X versus O
Tic-Tac-Toe, X versus O
Shrewd black buck dancer
O a cancer— X an answer!
Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at upsurgejazz.com.
Raymond Nat Turner © 2013 All Rights Reserved
Assata Shakur wrote the introduction and this poem for the 1990 book Hauling Up the Morning: writings & art by political prisoners and prisoners of war in the U.S.
They called Assata Shakur a fugitive; we claim her as a compass. Her work and her words will continue to chart the path toward our liberation.
The empire has a new plan for Haiti, a return to military occupation dressed up as humanitarianism. Like past occupations, it will only increase the suffering of Haiti's people.
While Gaza burns, a collaborationist class is being handed the keys to a prison and calling it a state, all in service to western imperialism.
Western nations complicit in occupation and genocide offer a fig leaf of sovereignty by recognizing a Palestinian state that in reality would still be occupied.
