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


  • The Money That Never Arrives in Cuba
    Rosa Miriam Elizalde
    The Money That Never Arrives in Cuba
    22 Sep 2021
    The United States has cut off channels for sending remittances to the island, leaving families who rely on the help – especially during the pandemic – without desperately needed resources.
  • Black and Asian American Workers Falling Behind in Getting Back Jobs
    Julie Yixia Cai, Dean Baker
    Black and Asian American Workers Falling Behind in Getting Back Jobs
    22 Sep 2021
    Economic recovery is uneven, with Black workers least likely to be employed in the wake of the covid pandemic.
  • Latin American and Caribbean Leaders Approve Historic Agreement at CELAC Summit
    Peoples Dispatch
    Latin American and Caribbean Leaders Approve Historic Agreement at CELAC Summit
    21 Sep 2021
    The heads of state of the regional block agreed on a 44-point declaration which addressed the strategy against COVID-19 and climate change and took a stand against the blockade on Cuba.
  • Glen Ford Memorial Gathering
    Black Agenda Report
    Glen Ford Memorial Gathering
    15 Sep 2021
    The memorial gathering for Glen Ford was held on Saturday, September 18, 2021 in New York City at the Riverside Church.
  • 20 Years of Post-9/11 Amnesia
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    20 Years of Post-9/11 Amnesia
    15 Sep 2021
    Memories of the last 20 years are rarely focused on increased state violence and repression in the post-9/11 world. The damage has largely been forgotten.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us