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

For Michael Ratner
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
18 May 2016
šŸ–Øļø Print Article

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

We are proud to say that Michael Ratner was a friend of Black Agenda Report.

For Michael Ratner

(2 Corinthians 12:7)

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

Another one of John Brown’s bastards—Berrigan before—
br/> checked out. Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank lost a
Friend— the Cuban people too
I felt like the air had been punched from my gut, or like a
singer singing a long line, minus inspiration—even Anonymous wept…
A friend in Cali, a woman reverend, lamented: ā€œHope there’s a thorn
His size to replace his work.ā€

Relentless radical people’s lawyer, internationalist spirit of Che—
Nuclear thorn the size of a 747 in flesh of assassins and torturers!
Though Satan’s emissaries sometimes act as advisors,
Vintage vampires long of fang are lighter on their feet; have
smaller sulfur footprints; trip-plan before coming out of coffins
into light of day—and no longer laugh like trips to The Hague are
pipedreams…

Was he ever invited to the War House?
Did he care?
He didn’t believe in tooth fairies, ā€œghost detaineesā€
 ā€œenemy combatantsā€ and black magic of ā€œboots on the groundā€
He didn’t respect scribblers opining human rights are ā€œquaintā€ā€”
Didn’t entertain ticking time bomb ā€œtheoriesā€ for torture,
lowlife lawyer-ing making torture ā€œenhanced interrogationā€

Was he ever invited to the War House?
Did he care?
He sued Slick Wily for warehousing HIV+ Haitians at Gitmo; sued W’s
daddy for invading Iraq without congressional authorization; sued sadist
Rumsfeld for torture, and the ā€œgreat Communicatorā€ for funding cutthroat
Contras in Nicaragua, and invading Grenada; sued an Indonesian thug with
tin decorated chest, and a Guatemalan minister of murder; sued the FBI for
skullduggery dealing with Central American activists—even sued Pentagon
pimps for in-bedding reporters, turning them out as stenographers for
Slaughter. And, he always won in the court of public opinion!

Was he ever invited to the War House?
Did he care?
Whistleblowers, Wikileakers, political prisoners, detainees,
arrestees, parolees, slogan shouters, marchers, movements
seemed more his ilk—his element, the elbows he rubbed

One day, not too long ago, he let himself lean back in
his chair humming ā€œJust My Imaginationā€ ticking off
Ten points he’d implement as Attorney General of The
U.S. under Socialism:
Beginning with NOT enforcing some laws and
Making the rich pay;
Indicting, prosecuting W and his torture team—
Including Ol’ Satan, Cheney
Indicting, prosecuting the Christ Child and accomplices
for drone murders across the globe;
Finally, insuring no more Flints: implementing Bolivia’s
Law of The Rights of Mother Earth
He rested his musing, ā€œI can barely wait to get started in my new jobā€¦ā€
Now, we muse, we pray Michael’s life’s like John Brown’s— a billion
Sperm swimming, fathering a thousand thorns in crowns of the 1%…

by Raymond Nat Turner.

All rights reserved
Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet and performance artist, besides being Black Agenda Report's poet in residence. You can find more of his work at the Upsurge Jazz Ensemble.

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


More Stories


  • Black Alliance For Peace
    The Black Alliance for Peace Condemns FBI Attack on the African People’s Socialist Party
    03 Aug 2022
  • ā€˜Tools of Russia’: FBI Raid on Black Political Party Seen as Part of ā€˜Black Scare/Red Scare’ in United States
    Julie Varughese
    ā€˜Tools of Russia’: FBI Raid on Black Political Party Seen as Part of ā€˜Black Scare/Red Scare’ in United States
    03 Aug 2022
    Black political organizations condemne
  • BAR Book Forum: Jamil W. Drake’s ā€œTo Know the Soul of a Peopleā€
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Jamil W. Drake’s ā€œTo Know the Soul of a Peopleā€
    03 Aug 2022
  • Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Marisol LeBrón’s ā€œAgainst Muerto Ricoā€
    03 Aug 2022
  • The United Nations designated the years 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent. But the project has not only been neglected, it has also focused on ā€œrecognitionā€ instead of ā€œreparations,ā€ reinforcing the structural racism inherent in the liberal capitalist system.
    Mireille Fanon Mendes France
    The International Decade for People of African Descent : Who have these 10 years served?
    03 Aug 2022
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us