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

My Wise Country Cousin on The State Machine’s Machinegun-Totin’ Cops… 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
01 Jan 1970
🖨️ Print Article

My Wise Country Cousin on The State Machine’s Machinegun-Totin’ Cops… 

by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner

Look lak de Daltuns, Youngas an ol’ James gangs

Is resirrecit, an’ up ridin’ again, doin’ dey thangs—

Bowdin’ de D train wit machinegun-totin’ police

Dey needin’ dat firepower fo’ “keepin’ de peace?”

‘Less Al Kater on de A, Boocoo Harome on de B

Dem damn machineguns make no sense, to me…

‘Less Eyesool on de C, an’ Eyesis down on de D

Dem damn machineguns make no sense, to me…

Dey got Glocks, pumps, tasirs, peppurspray, vess—

White magik fo’ conjurin’ cases ob “resisin’ aress!”

Dey shoutin’ night an’ day‘bout Eyesool and Eyesis

Coverin’ up de fac dey sistum’s tremblin’ wit crisis:

Workin’ folk tired ob takeaways an’ myzerly charity

Caint take much mo’ ob dese heists called awesterity—

Son, I tolt you once, tolt you twice, dis makes thrice

Dis a police state Negroz an’ liberuls call ‘paradice!’

Dey got C-Is, Demografick Units an Mosk Crawlers,

Ebben mens among trash hallers, an’ cable installers…

Now, it lookin’ lak to me dat Bloody Billy Bratton

Is bringin’ dat ol’ SS mess up here in Manhattun…

Sho lookin’ lak what de youngtaz be callin’ po-po

Is jes de Furor’s ol’ gang ob thugs de Gustop-po—

Well, so much fo’ hare-splittin,’ ackademik debate,

It pas’ time fo’ callin’ dis muthafucka a police state!

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at Raymond (at) upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2105 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


  • DOCUMENT: Internal Security Act of 1950
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    DOCUMENT: Internal Security Act of 1950
    01 Jul 2021
    The terms of the McCarran Act strategy offer a wide catchment that has the potential to ensnare any progressive or radical movement.
  • Cover-up of a Cover-up: US Media Ignore OPCW Fraud to Justify Missile Strikes on S
    Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Cover-up of a Cover-up: US Media Ignore OPCW Fraud to Justify Missile Strikes on Syria
    01 Jul 2021
    Aaron Maté tells Ann Garrison that US media helps the OPCW cover up its cover-up for the US, UK, and France.
  • Twerkers of the World you might…(Or when they go low we get high?)
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Twerkers of the World you might…(Or when they go low we get high?)
    01 Jul 2021
    “History repeats itself,  first as tragedy, second as farce.” —Karl Marx
  • Western powers only seek to curtail the right of self-determination for the Horn of Africa and Global South states.
    BAP and HOA PALS
    Western Powers Only Seek to Curtail the Right of Self-Determination for the Horn of Africa and Global South States.
    01 Jul 2021
    Western powers only seek to curtail the right of self-determination for the Horn of Africa and Global South states.
  • The Thin Blue Lies Behind Crime Wave Hype
    Josmar Trujillo
    The Thin Blue Lies Behind Crime Wave Hype
    01 Jul 2021
    Data fail to show that bail restrictions or any other reform fueled the spike in violence during the pandemic – but facts don’t matter to the corporate press
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us