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 Fancy Miss Nancy
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
19 Dec 2018
🖨️ Print Article
Nancy Sue Wilson 1937-2018
Nancy Sue Wilson 1937-2018

Guess who I saw
today, black and white photo,
Marching, Montgomery from
Selma, ‘65?

Guess who I saw
at my high school swingin’ the
Trio; urging us to stay in school?

Guess who I,
was privileged to sequence
a later CD for, late one night?

…and you don’t know, you don’t know how
Glad I am that she
put the purr in whisper, with a sultry
Sound that could make subpoenas seem sensuous

…and you don’t know, you don’t know how
Glad I am that she
Appeared, sparkling, at the end of the
golden era—looking as good as she sounded—
Her face should grace
Buckeye State flags emblazoned
“There will never be another you…”

…and you don’t know, you don’t know how
Glad I am that she
Hovered earth— stunning hummingbird,
gorgeous humanitarian, giving the greatest
performance of her life, moments I loitered—
not seizing the time and asking, “When did
You leave heaven?”
Though, I think it was maybe ’37? I know she’s

Free Again…

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

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

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


More Stories


  • Ungentrifying International News Reporting from Brazil to Ecuador and Beyond
    Julian Cola
    Ungentrifying International News Reporting from Brazil to Ecuador and Beyond
    24 Jun 2020
    So-called “racial democracy” has systematically excluded and kept black people at the dirt end of the socioeconomic totem pole in Brazil, as reflected in its media.
  • Food, Land and Power: Revisiting Black Cooperative Movements
    Julian Agyeman and Kofi Boone
    Food, Land and Power: Revisiting Black Cooperative Movements
    24 Jun 2020
    Land loss has plagued black America since emancipation – is it time to look again at ‘black commons’ and collective ownership?
  • Seize the Time or Face Fascism
    Riva Enteen
    Seize the Time or Face Fascism
    24 Jun 2020
    Either we seize the time and bring power to the people, or we must be prepared to face overt fascism.
  • Black Agenda Radio for Week of June 22, 2020
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley and Glen Ford
    Black Agenda Radio for Week of June 22, 2020
    22 Jun 2020
    A New Generation, Same Struggle
  • Will Blacks Oppose or Defend US Empire?
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley and Glen Ford
    Will Blacks Oppose or Defend US Empire?
    22 Jun 2020
    Defense of Haitian independence was the first foreign policy focus of African Americans, said Brandon Byrd, professor of history at Vanderbilt University and author of “The Bl
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us