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

Scouting
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
04 Jan 2023
Scouting
Boy Scouts in Arlington, Virginia in 1953 (Image: Arlington public library)

Scouting

day dreaming, dreaming, anticipating
a Hollywood Bowl where some master
painter splashed stars
all over night’s navy blue canvas…

Wow! Were we in awe? So insignificant
in the grand scheme of the
painting; its sovereign clarity—
its status; its ultimate one-upmanship?

day dreaming, dreaming, anticipating
more navy blue pants, more navy blue shirts,
caps; and gold scarves of fledgling Cub Scouts…
Our yellow bus pulled
into the lower lot among
an armada of other yellow busses

day dreaming, dreaming, anticipating
crisp practice of white handbook pages;
of memorized rules—cherished code of
Conduct—One for all/All for one ways
of being in the world…
Our yellow bus pulled
into the lower lot among
an armada of other yellow busses

day dreaming, dreaming, anticipating
tent talk; talk of knots tied with wider,
with new navy blue crew…
Our yellow bus pulled up and parked
among the armada of yellow busses—
Unloading more blue pants, blue shirts,
caps; more gold scarves… Unloading expresso,
mocha, tan, paper bag brown, cinnamon, caramel cargo…
Before—without warning—awful reign of rocks fell from
Lot above—Fell with wild, weaponized cries:

“GO HOME CHOCOLATE DROPS!!!!”
“GO HOME CHOCOLATE DROPS!!!!”
“GO HOME CHOCOLATE DROPS!!!!”

© 2023. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe and PayPal.

Anti-Black Racism
Los Angeles

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


More Stories


  • Black Agenda Radio March 17, 2023
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio March 17, 2023
    17 Mar 2023
    This week we will hear about efforts to mobilize New York progressives in support of the Green Party and how a proposal for new questions on ethnicity and race would improve accuracy and fairness in…
  • Stop Cop City
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Stop Cop City
    17 Mar 2023
    Tunde Osazua joins us from Atlanta to talk about the Stop Cop City movement and why it matters to the entire country.
  • The Left in New York Join the Green Transformation
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The Left in New York Join the Green Transformation
    17 Mar 2023
    We discuss the March 25th meeting, Join the Green Transformation, a Green Party of New York County effort to mobilize left voters.
  • Proposed Changes to Census Questions on Race and Ethnicity Would Improve Fairness and Accuracy
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Proposed Changes to Census Questions on Race and Ethnicity Would Improve Fairness and Accuracy
    17 Mar 2023
    Proposed changes to 2030 Census questions on race and ethnicity would improve fairness and accuracy.
  • Farewell, Senior Brother: In Memory of Kevin Alexander Gray
    Jemima Pierre, BAR Editor and Contributor
    Farewell, Senior Brother: In Memory of Kevin Alexander Gray
    15 Mar 2023
    Kevin Alexander Gray was a contributor and good friend to the Black Agenda Report team. His passing is a huge loss to BAR, and to the Black liberation movement. 
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us