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 Brother Bruce
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
03 Jul 2019
🖨️ Print Article
 For Brother Bruce
 For Brother Bruce

Here’s the FOIA requested,
Redacted part of the story they never tell
You. 

Baby Bruce was wandering
the Midwest with Dorothy and Toto—
Before they picked up the Tinman in 
Pittsburgh, the Scarecrow on Staten Island,
the Cowardly Lion in Los Angeles
Baby Bruce had a baby brain, a huge
heart and fully formed courage that
would be schooled and steeled at the 
point of production—
Molding a straight-up soldier on
The Long March; A rank-in-file, 
meet ‘em where they’re at,
shoe leather, serve the people, 
door-to-door knocking, 
troublemaking organizer;
Chitown stubborn kinda fella— 
stubborn as a Georgia mule—
Refusing to slip, on Iceberg Slim
posing as community organizer…

He had huge heart, big brain and 
courage. Barrel of his pen blazing—
welcoming me from the wilderness,
Cali isolation, to fight side by side
Against the masked man— The
Drone Ranger; when icons and 
Legends were losing their minds

and Slutty Professors dangled
on the dick of Deporter-in-Chief!

When Bruce’s 404 popped up on my phone
It was business—but personal—laughing, joking, 
we’d cover the waterfront with lunch bucket language…
I pray The Wizard put a Bruce Dixon Organizer’s App
 on my phone countering some spyware…

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

Bruce Dixon

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


Related Stories

The Courage to Write the Truth: Where and When Bruce Dixon Enters History
Dr. Matthew Quest
The Courage to Write the Truth: Where and When Bruce Dixon Enters History
21 August 2019
Bruce entered history as the most distinguished critic of the Black political class during the Age of Obama.

More Stories


  • BAR Book Forum: Yolanda Covington-Ward and Jeanette S. Jouili’s Book, “Embodying Black Religions in Africa and Its Diasporas”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Yolanda Covington-Ward and Jeanette S. Jouili’s Book, “Embodying Black Religions in Africa and Its Diasporas”
    02 Mar 2022
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
  • BAR Book Forum: Jafari S. Allen’s “There’s a Disco Ball Between Us”
    Roberto Sirvent
    BAR Book Forum: Jafari S. Allen’s “There’s a Disco Ball Between Us”
    02 Mar 2022
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
  • In Ukraine, U.S. Support for Self-determination is Both Political and Conditional
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    In Ukraine, U.S. Support for Self-determination is Both Political and Conditional
    02 Mar 2022
    The US determination to exercise hegemony over Ukraine is the cause of this latest crisis. Despite those efforts, the multipolar world is asserting itself.
  • Without Even Realizing How We Were Being Played. Could This Be Russiagate's Checkmate?
    Jacqueline Luqman
    Without Even Realizing How We Were Being Played. Could This Be Russiagate's Checkmate?
    02 Mar 2022
    Tales of Donald Trump collusion with Vladimir Putin absolved the democrats of electoral blame, and supported the war party in its attacks on Russia. Yet it was the democratic administration of Barack…
  • short school struggle poem
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    short school struggle poem
    02 Mar 2022
                                                           …
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us