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Testi-lyin’
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
07 Apr 2021
Testi-lyin’
Testi-lyin’

Northeast, midwest, southwest, south,
down south, up south, out south—south 
of the Canadian border—Slouched down
in his cruiser, slow-rollin’ the ‘hood; Or a-
top his horse, bullwhip barking at shiny
bent Black backs: “150 lbs of cotton today!”
It’s in his DNA—he’s trained that way…

Chokehold; blood choke; bullets to back; 
electric shocks; sheets; garbage bags or 
Overdoses of fists and foots intended to
Slay—it’s in his DNA—he’s trained that way…
Trained to follow orders of the 1%. The poor,
unhoused, unemployed, on strike, anti-war, 
water-protectors must be brought to heel…

“Raise your right hand—not that high—not
that angle. Do you swear to tell the the truth 
and nothing but the truth so help the founding 
fathers?”

“I do. Monday morning quarterbacks be damned—
second guessing officers—police work is hard!
Foul-mouthed disrespecting elders; beating 
people up—smashing doors and heads;
Invading homes; forcing yourself on women in
the line of duty—being a bully—judge, jury and 
Executioner is not easy…
Writing six-figure fiction sending men and 
women away on upstate adventures is tough—
it’s a thin blue line between class and ‘race!’”

“Do you know how hard it is to keep your knee 
on a man’s neck 9:29—9 minutes and 29 seconds?
It requires incredible concentration: Dispassionate 
demeanor of a scientist or professor demonstrating 
for his students; Focus of a TV prosperity preacher 
preaching scripture ‘bout Satan by showing rather
than telling; Calm of a Super Bowl quarterback leading
his team on a 9:29 drive to pay dirt… No, you don’t know 
how hard it is to work before hostile mobs—fearing for your
life; fearing for your partners’ lives, putting another Hulk
Hogan down—It’s a thin blue line between class and ‘race!’”
© 2021. 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 https://www.youtube.com/user/zigilow

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