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

Wizard of Oz redux— …and some casting questions…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
24 Aug 2022
🖨️ Print Article
Wizard of Oz redux—  …and some casting questions…

                                                                                                                     Wizard of Oz redux—

                                                                                                            …and some casting questions…

Suppose Hollywood hits you up
‘bout this big budget redo of
The Wizard of Oz? What if they
say it’s all your call…’cept this?

They say you must shoot in Uvalde
using locals. No big name stars. Do you say
“OK” when they say, “And you must cast the
Cops?” Or, do you ask—“What as?”

Angry Apple Tree? Crows in the Corn
Field? Ozmites? Tin Polishers? Horse
of Another Color? Almira Gulch’s bi
cycle?

Lullaby League? Lollipop Guild? Scare
crow? Sleepyheads? Munchkin Fiddlers?
Munchkin Soldiers? Munchkin Barristers?
Munchkin Mayor? Munchkin Coroner?

Hunk? Uncle Henry? Hickory? Toto?
Dorthy Gale? Aunt Em? Almira Gulch?
Professor Marvel? Tin Man? Glinda?
Wizard? Wicked Witch? Ruby Slippers?

Winged Monkeys instructed: “Take your Army
to the Haunted Forest and bring me those boys
and girls! Do what you want with the others—
They'll give you no trouble I promise you that?”

Winkies chanting, “O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!” into
radios in the school hallway? Hearing, “Poppies,
poppies, poppies” instead of some shooter’s
Pop-pop-pop-pops for some 70 minutes?

Are we leaving any characters out?

© 2022. 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.

Uvalde

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


More Stories


  • Latin Americans Reject Resource Plundering by Same NATO Countries Fueling Military Conflict in Ukraine
    Camila Escalante
    Latin Americans Reject Resource Plundering by Same NATO Countries Fueling Military Conflict in Ukraine
    14 Sep 2022
    Liberals in the U.S. may be confused, but the Latin America left are clear that the NATO alliance is their adversary and that its actions must be opposed everywhere in the world.
  • Black Agenda Radio September 9, 2022
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio September 9, 2022
    09 Sep 2022
    Racism and political corruption in Mississippi, how U.S. sanctions impact Black Cubans and the entire country, and the first of a two part discussion on Black politics in San Francisco.
  • Mississippi Goddam
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Mississippi Goddam
    09 Sep 2022
    Jaribu Hill is Director of the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights. She joins us to discuss a Mississippi political scandal involving a former governor who gave millions of dollars in funds…
  • Let Cuba Live
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Let Cuba Live
    09 Sep 2022
    Steven Hardge works on mutual aid and community survival projects and programs as a community organizer with Endstate Atlanta. He joins us to discuss his recent trip to Cuba as part of a Community…
  • Black Politics in San Francisco, Part I
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Politics in San Francisco, Part I
    09 Sep 2022
    Jemma Decristo is a community organizer in San Francisco, where a Black mayor and other officials enact policies against the unhoused and the poor and where gentrification continues. She joins us…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us