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

“No Matter What Sign You Are,”4th Supreme
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
16 Jan 2019
🖨️ Print Article
the supremes
The Supremes

Mary was mysterious,
but the best dancer
Diana, the magnetic,
cooing romancer—
But, here’s a secret I know:
cats like me dug Miss Flo—
And the 4th Supreme’s ‘fro!

The 4th Supreme came
Singing tones ‘tween
Douglass and Carmen McRae—
Malcolm X and Lady Day

The 4th Supreme came
Singing “Stop In The Name Of Love!”
by way of Brandeis/Bombing-ham—
hitting Dynamite Hill high notes

The 4th Supreme came
Singing “Reflections”
in silver bracelets, on a
Newsweek cover captioned:
“Red, Black and Wanted!”

Hoover hated her harmonies with millions…
But I heard, “Set me free, why don’t you, babe?”
Rocking me to “ …Try Something New:”
Dialectics…

 

The 4th Supreme came
Singing, “I Hear A Symphony—”
“No Matter What Sign You Are,”
in ’08—but I
forgive her and comrades
and friends for singing flat
Madison Avenue smash hits: “Yes,
we can and bottle Jim Jones Juice;”
“regime Change you can believe in—”
delivering “Nothing But Heartaches” to
Honduras, Libya, Syria, Mother Africa…

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.
Raymond Nat Turner, our poet in residence, is an accomplished performing artist. You can find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

poetry

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


More Stories


  • U.S. policies are not guided by the whims of the individual who sits in the White House, but by the objective interests of dominant sectors of the ruling elite.
    Black Alliance For Peace
    100 Days of Biden's Bait and Switch
    06 May 2021
    U.S. policies are not guided by the whims of the individual who sits in the White House, but by the objective interests of dominant sectors of the ruling elite.
  • Black Girl Magic Trio Seeks to Suppress Spirit of Rebellion Inside St. Louis Jails     
    Adofo Minka
    Black Girl Magic Trio Seeks to Suppress Spirit of Rebellion Inside St. Louis Jails     
    06 May 2021
    The trio of so-called “progressive” female officeholders pretend to fight the power, but only misdirect and bewilder.
  • A Dose of Reality for the #ADOS Movement
    Broderick Dunlap
    A Dose of Reality for the #ADOS Movement
    06 May 2021
    Instead of showing solidarity with the third world, ADOS makes it clear that they want their share of the spoils of imperialism. 
  • Arendt saw the “Negro question” as a “Negro problem” rather than a white problem.
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Kathryn Sophia Belle’s “Hannah Arendt and the Negro Question”
    06 May 2021
    Arendt saw the “Negro question” as a “Negro problem” rather than a white problem.
  • The authors set out to reconstruct King’s critical theory of racial capitalism.
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Jared A. Loggins and Andrew J. Douglas’ “Prophet of Discontent”
    06 May 2021
    The authors set out to reconstruct King’s critical theory of racial capitalism.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us