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


  •  Israel Deliberately Provoked Violence
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley and Glen Ford
    Israel Deliberately Provoked Violence
    18 May 2021
    The bloodshed that has taken more than 200 Palestinian lives is the result of “a planned provocation to feed the ultra-right” in Israel, said Sara Flounders,  of the Internati
  • Freedom Rider: The End of Low Wage Work
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR senior columnist
    Freedom Rider: The End of Low Wage Work
    12 May 2021
    The combination of unemployment and additional stimulus support has made staying home a better economic decision than working for peanuts under stressful conditions.
  • Democrats Give an “A” Grade to Joe Biden’s Brand of Corporate Rule. Should the Left?
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    Democrats Give an “A” Grade to Joe Biden’s Brand of Corporate Rule. Should the Left?
    12 May 2021
    Biden’s policies thus far represent the bare minimum response of a social order mired in total decay.
  • The Mother’s Day Massacre:  Mumia Abu-Jamal, 1985
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    The Mother’s Day Massacre:  Mumia Abu-Jamal, 1985
    12 May 2021
    Four years into his own ordeal as a political prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal charged Philadelphia’s government with premeditated mass murder in the slaughter of MOVE men, women and children.
  • Open Letter to Superstar Rapper J. Cole about Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
    Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Open Letter to Superstar Rapper J. Cole about Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
    12 May 2021
    Dear Mr. Cole:
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us