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

Scouting
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
04 Jan 2023
🖨️ Print Article
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


  •  Enes Kanter’s Name Change and the Pathology of American Exceptionalism
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    Enes Kanter’s Name Change and the Pathology of American Exceptionalism
    07 Dec 2021
    NBA star Enes Kanter embodies the dangers of American exceptionalism rhetoric. Support for oppression around the world is always the end result of this pernicious belief system.
  • US Still Strong Arming “Democracy” Onto Libya
    Netfa Freeman
    US Still Strong Arming “Democracy” Onto Libya
    07 Dec 2021
    The Western imperialist forces responsible for the overthrow and assassination of Muammar Gaddafi, as well as the destruction of Libya, are now trying to force elections and so-called “dem
  • BAR Book Forum: Jennifer S. Ponce de León’s “Another Aesthetics Is Possible”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Jennifer S. Ponce de León’s “Another Aesthetics Is Possible”
    07 Dec 2021
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
  • Black Alliance for Peace Condemns Trial of Black Activist Dedan Waciuri as a Violation of Human Rights
    Black Alliance For Peace
    Black Alliance for Peace Condemns Trial of Black Activist Dedan Waciuri as a Violation of Human Rights
    07 Dec 2021
    The state targets Black activists who exercise their right to speak and assemble freely.
  • A Litmus Test for Democracy? Democratic Deficits at the Summit for Democracy
    Alfred de Zayas
    A Litmus Test for Democracy? Democratic Deficits at the Summit for Democracy
    07 Dec 2021
    Joe Biden's democracy summit is an opportunity to define an important but misused word.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us