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 Sistar Kiilu Nyasha: Freedom Is A Constant Struggle…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
19 Apr 2018
🖨️ Print Article
Kiilu Nyasha
Comrade Kiilu Nyasha

Never thought I’d see
the day that I’d pray
for: Fake News;
Never thought I’d see
the day that I’d pray
for: Alternative Facts
from Boss Tweet— pray that
scribblers screwed up tenses
scribbling ‘bout a constant struggler—
3-time loser in capitalist Amerikkka:
Disabled; Black and Woman— Panther to the core,
Ida B-child soldier speaking, writing in real time—
Mentoring men and women for battlefront lives
worth living…
Flying warrior woman kites coded in humanity
through concertina censorship; smuggling
Love and hope between bars, amplifying voices…

Maybe I’m selfish and don’t wanna let go—
don’t wanna lose the grace, the smile
Sweetly staunch as principles behind it?
Maybe I’m lazy and don’t wanna lift her
Load, clicking, guiding, electric silence…
whizzing down steep hills, in swift traffic like
little cablecars that climb half way to the stars?

Maybe her meeting after meeting, march after march,
demonstration after demonstration, decade after decade
Shamed my temporarily-abled body to another level?
Or, maybe I’m afraid of losing the constant struggler—
the long distance runner— reminding me: WE WILL WIN?

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Our poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed performing artist. You can find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

 

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Kiilu Nyasha from proj-ect PRO:JECT on Vimeo.

poetry

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


Related Stories

Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
A few lines for the Poet Ojenke...
21 May 2025
RIP: Rise In Poetics to Ra
Another June 1
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Another June 1
07 June 2023
                                       
BAR Book Forum: Jon Jon Moore’s “The Calling: Poems”
Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
BAR Book Forum: Jon Jon Moore’s “The Calling: Poems”
16 February 2022
In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
Our ‘democracy’
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Our ‘democracy’
23 July 2021
Shangri-La—untaxed, socially-distanced champagne- caviar, Cayman Island, yacht crowds who
Pigment of your Imagination: Black magic mascots, props and sops?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Pigment of your Imagination: Black magic mascots, props and sops?
15 July 2021
Could the pigment of your imagination cause Black magic mascots, props, sops— Black faces in high places—
A known known…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
A known known…
08 July 2021
“…there are known knowns. There are things we know that we know. There are known
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 July 2021
“History repeats itself,  first as tragedy, second as farce.” —Karl Marx
The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)
23 June 2021
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs…” —Karl Marx
The Town Crier’s List of Who’s Who in the capitalist state machine
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
The Town Crier’s List of Who’s Who in the capitalist state machine
16 June 2021
“Ain’t no power like the power of the people— ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop!” bouncing 
Ladee Blu: Another Monroe Doctrine delivery system 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Ladee Blu: Another Monroe Doctrine delivery system 
09 June 2021
Raytheon’s craven raven Co-signing for mass murder: “Mowing the grass…” Now… Ladee Blu on a fool’s errand dis- seminating

More Stories


  • The Inglorious End of Juan Guaidó
    Ricardo Vaz
    The Inglorious End of Juan Guaidó
    11 Jan 2023
    Juan Guaido's "interim presidency" of Venezuela has come to an end, as opposition parties chose to end the U.S. backed arrangement. They hope to unify behind one candidate in next year's…
  • John Parker "People Speak Out to Stop War, Racism and World War III" in Harlem on January 13
    John Parker , Margaret Kimberley , BAR editor and senior columnist , Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    John Parker "People Speak Out to Stop War, Racism and World War III" in Harlem on January 13
    10 Jan 2023
    John Parker is coordinator of the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice in Los Angeles and a leading member of the Socialist Unity Party. He is also a member of the Black Alliance for Peace who…
  • Black Agenda Radio January 6, 2023
    Black Agenda Radio , Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio January 6, 2023
    06 Jan 2023
    The latest in Mumia Abu Jamal's defense, the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and its connection to the Durban conference, and a new book “Sanctions: A Wrecking Ball in a Global…
  • Mumia Abu Jamal Continues His Fight for Freedom
    Black Agenda Radio , Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Mumia Abu Jamal Continues His Fight for Freedom
    06 Jan 2023
    Johanna Fernandez is an Associate Professor of history at Baruch College, and a longtime advocate for political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal. She joins us from New York City to discuss the loss of his…
  • UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the Durban Declaration Program of Action
    Black Agenda Radio , Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the Durban Declaration Program of Action
    06 Jan 2023
    Efia Nwangaza discusses her participation in the first session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, a mechanism that emerged from the 2001 Durban world conference against racism.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us