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
  • omnibus

Ruling-class Remedies
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
18 Mar 2020
Ruling-class Remedies
Ruling-class Remedies

If you’re feeling exceptionally feverish 
or feverishly exceptional
pull a tight-fitting, cherry red MAGAT
cap over your forehead and eyes. Tight
on your temples and clean coal compress.
White phosphorus poultices work wonders
if your temperature’s hotter than a Hellfire 
Missile: $110,000 each… 

Self-quarantine and waterboard yourself
several times an hour; $campaigns and
$elections and stress positions work too.
You can use enhanced
interrogation techniques until you’re
dry coughing and screaming, “It’s a 
Chinese hoax!”

Hydrate yourself with fracking fluid or
crude oil—or simply
put a predator drone under your pillow;
Suck on a nuke. And F-35 exhaust will
scorch phlegm from your respiratory
tract—but wrap your home in plastic 
sheeting and seal it with duct tape…

Remain calm, you’re safe.
There’s a wall to your West. 
And boots are on the ground
slogging over shit-hole countries.
Remember, bases ring the 
Globe. Count bases if you’re
experiencing difficulty getting 
to sleep. Play war games—or
Practice military exercises…

Social-distance yourself from
anyone sneezing, spraying tiny
droplets of healthcare for all—
or contagious germs for housing
the unhoused— or living wages!

© 2020. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

 

Indiana Guaidó 

Indiana Guaidó
Norte Americano 
Coming out of Shadow— 
Wall Street wine caves,
crystal chandeliers of
the champagne, caviar
Cayman Island crowd
as self-proclaimed savior

Indiana Guaidó
Norte Americano 
Coming out of Shadow—
dragging rusty links of
the Iron Lady’s chains
as an old commercial for
cheap ghetto wine repeats:
“Don’t let the smooth taste
fool you…”

Indiana Guaidó
Norte Americano 
Coming out of Shadow—
leader lab’s handpicked
Hoosier, battery-operated
boy wonder—first openly
hostile enemy of health-
care for ALL

Indiana Guaidó
Norte Americano 
Coming out of Shadow—
another pleasant plastic face,
another new neoliberal kid on 
the block—like the Drone Ranger— 
Another buttoned-down thug
tethered to Wall Street…

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

BAR’s poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner is an accomplished performing artist. You can find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com .

COMMENTS?Please join the conversation on Black Agenda Report's Facebook page at http://facebook.com/blackagendareportOr, you can comment by emailing us at [email protected]

poetry

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


Related Stories

Our ‘democracy’
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Our ‘democracy’
23 July 2021
Shangri-La—untaxed, socially-distanced champagne- caviar, Cayman Island, yacht crowds who
Pigment of your Imagination: Black magic mascots, props and sops?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Pigment of your Imagination: Black magic mascots, props and sops?
15 July 2021
Could the pigment of your imagination cause Black magic mascots, props, sops— Black faces in high places—
A known known…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
A known known…
08 July 2021
“…there are known knowns. There are things we know that we know. There are known
Twerkers of the World you might…(Or when they go low we get high?)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Twerkers of the World you might…(Or when they go low we get high?)
01 July 2021
“History repeats itself,  first as tragedy, second as farce.” —Karl Marx
The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
The Town Crier’s Big Tooth Fund (For Drs. Rosenthal, Sapir and Ferdowsi)
23 June 2021
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs…” —Karl Marx
The Town Crier’s List of Who’s Who in the capitalist state machine
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
The Town Crier’s List of Who’s Who in the capitalist state machine
16 June 2021
“Ain’t no power like the power of the people— ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop!” bouncing 
Ladee Blu: Another Monroe Doctrine delivery system 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Ladee Blu: Another Monroe Doctrine delivery system 
09 June 2021
Raytheon’s craven raven Co-signing for mass murder: “Mowing the grass…” Now… Ladee Blu on a fool’s errand dis-
MOVE Tulsa to Gaza…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
MOVE Tulsa to Gaza…
02 June 2021
The Mass Shooting Of The Day— this time was in San Jose… Do you know the way to San Jose?
Raymond Nat Turner , BAR poet-in-residence
Preachin’ to the Choir (for Joe, Linda, Tim…)
26 May 2021
2020’s hindsight—frost in the rearview mirror. Miles Ahead… I’m Sheltered in Solidarity with National Poetry Month and
Herd impunity?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Herd impunity?
19 May 2021
What if a colonial settler state accidentally vaccinated 61% of its population With a virulent variant of a vicious virus?

More Stories


  • Biden is No FDR  and Build Back Better Legislation Proves It
    ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    Biden is No FDR and Build Back Better Legislation Proves It
    27 Oct 2021
    The idea that Joe Biden is the "most progressive president since FDR" is a propaganda device meant to quiet the Democratic Party left and force them to stand down.
  • ESSAY: The African Woman Today, Ama Ata Aidoo, 1992.
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY: The African Woman Today, Ama Ata Aidoo, 1992.
    27 Oct 2021
    Ama Ata Aidoo has provided some of the most clear-eyed and materialist analyses of the social and political life of women on the African continent.
  • Taiwan Demonstrates that the American Empire is a Paper Tiger
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    Taiwan Demonstrates that the American Empire is a Paper Tiger
    27 Oct 2021
    Taiwan has long been the rationale for meddling in China's affairs but the latest interference poses great danger for "paper tiger" nation.
  • Senators Bonnie and Clyde - 1% soldiers of fortune
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Senators Bonnie and Clyde - 1% soldiers of fortune
    27 Oct 2021
                                                                                                            Senators Bonnie and Clyde—
  • In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book. This week’s featured author is Anima Adjepong. Adjepong holds a position as Assistant Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexualities Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Their book is entitled Afropolitan Projects: Redefining Blackness, Sexualities, and Culture from Houston to Accra. 
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Anima Adjepong’s “Afropolitan Projects”
    27 Oct 2021
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us