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

Ms. Cortez Goes to Washington
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
04 Apr 2019
🖨️ Print Article
ms cortez goes to washington
The real Washington DC isn't so different from the real Bronx or Queens...

“Never be deceived that the rich will
allow you to vote away their wealth.”
—Lucy Parsons

Bloody flashbacks: southern senators
sitting on Capitalist Hill…’til
Rigor mortis set in…
evolution of African-American voting

Supernatural powers of suffrage—20
minute recipe, 1 day—every 2-4 yrs:
Mix oceans of blood,
rivers of tears, with black cat dander; stir
Donkey dung, goober dust, a rabbit’s foot;
Sprinkle holy water; warm 365/24-7;
1/2 bake Hellfire Missiles in Predator Drone;
Crisp images of august bodies—Bipartisan
Business men/women serve up to seven
Wars—Trillions—Pentagon with the wind!
Finely chop cult of personality,
garnish liberally with piping
hot propaganda, glaze with PSYOP syrup;
Grease the Hill to Feel the Bern…until…

Ms. Cortez goes to Washington—
She don’t hafta come in cape, tights, “S” on
her chest or tattooed: “Care Bear Commie,”
compliments of Fox-box foot soldiers and
scribblers. Just “shake it up, baby.” Just
Talk the talk—impossible shit. We do the
Difficult: Montgomery Bus Boycott, 8 Hr.Day,
Abolition of slavery—We are our own Liberators!

© 2019. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

© 2019. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.,br/> Raymond Nat Turner is an accomplished poet and 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


  • Kim Ives
    Trump Administration Seeks to Remove Constraints from and Secure UN Funding for a New Proxy Force in Haiti
    01 Oct 2025
    The empire has a new plan for Haiti, a return to military occupation dressed up as humanitarianism. Like past occupations, it will only increase the suffering of Haiti's people.
  • Hanna Eid
    Recognizing the Palestinian 'State': A Colonial Hauntology
    01 Oct 2025
    While Gaza burns, a collaborationist class is being handed the keys to a prison and calling it a state, all in service to western imperialism.
  • Bikrum Gill
    Orders of Sovereignty: Internal Power and External Dependency in the Recognition of the State of Palestine
    01 Oct 2025
    Western nations complicit in occupation and genocide offer a fig leaf of sovereignty by recognizing a Palestinian state that in reality would still be occupied.
  • BAR Radio Logo
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio September 26, 2025
    26 Sep 2025
    In this week’s segment we discuss the need for self-defense against racist, white supremacist forces. But first we hear about efforts to Build and Fight through a solidarity economy, self-…
  • The Build and Fight Formula
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The Build and Fight Formula
    26 Sep 2025
    Our guest is Kali Akuno, co-founder and director of Cooperation Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi. He joins us from New York to discuss the Build and Fight Formula, its work with the Peoples Network…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us