by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner
“Blak Lifes Mattur, yeah, but dey’s unnecessary
Blak Lifes Mattur, ‘til Friday de 20 ob January
My Wise Country Cousin on Miss Hillree an de Matter ob Blak Lives
by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner
Now, Miss Hillree mean as de day is long—
Yeah, she lak two lef shooz, she so wrong,
Don’ know if she mo mean den she shady
Do know dat she ackin lak de ‘Ion Ladee’
Lak de nukler vershun ob Hellen ob Troy
‘Membur how she dun dat ol’ Kadaffy boy?
Den crow’d: “We came, we saw, he died!”
Lawd, dats one time—she ain’t nebber lied.
Hit Hayshun helpurs in de head wit hosshooz
Jus’‘cause she caut dem lissenin’ to de blues;
Head-butted Pootin at a big G-Sebben meetin’
Den gib sidekick Tony Blare a vishus beatin’
Waterbo’d a “ghos’ detanee” fo’ sevul hours—
Den turn ‘em ova to Newlun an Sam Powurs!
Occuepyd, foldin’ up her retraktabul baton—
Seem lak she fogit dat de main mic still on:
“Blak Lifes Mattur, yeah, but dey’s unnecessary
Blak Lifes Mattur, ‘til Friday de 20 ob January—
Dey mattur afta dat, as poleez, maybe millatary,
De penitentiary, mortuary—maybe de cemetery…”
Miss Hillree jus’ de latest slick re-akkkshunary—
Dem Negroz know scam-pain lyin’s customary?
Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2015 All Rights Reserved
What role did labor play in the 2004 coup in Haiti? A 2008 essay illuminates the convergence of labor politics, neoliberal policy, and imperial malfeasance.
Unbelievable
The world as we know it must change. Humanity cannot survive under imperialist and capitalist structures.
This week’s featured author is Stacy J. Lettman. Lettman is an Assistant Professor of English at Florida Atlantic University. Her book is The Slave Sublime The Language of Violence in Caribbean…
This week’s featured author is Jean-Thomas Tremblay. Tremblay is Assistant Professor of Environmental Humanities in the Department of Humanities at York University. Their book is Breathing Aesthetics.
