Paragons of modern American fascism: Two new poems by Raymond Nat Turner

Photos: AP

Count Ghouliani’s Grift Shop—
government of the rich on display

I.
90 proof most matters
handled after 2PM.
Law partners Jim Beam, Jack
Daniels, Johnny Walker Red, et al.
High profile firm the renown
Scandal, Scandal and Scandalous, LLC…

II.
No Amos and Andy operation.
No lil slow mom-and-pop shop.
His Grift Shop’s where
big bucks are made on blue pills
and other thrills.
Parking Permits to Pardons…and
9/11—24/7!
Hey, come on in. And listen closely:

“Step right up!
Count Ghouliani’s Grift Shop-9/11 One-Stop!
Nazi gear here! Come and shop ’til you drop—
Or, come barhop!”

“Step right up! Get your 9/11 dust here! 9/11 Bone
Bracelets! 9/11 Necklaces!
Get your certified, bonafide, bottles of 9/11 Blood
Bank blood while they last—They’re going fast!”

“Step right up! Blue pills to sneaks—whatever wets our
beaks! PPE to Pushcart Permits! Parking Permits to Pardons!
Certified Fell Off The Truck Freight-Handlers!
Step right up—Well-connected white supremacist swindlers;
Murderers; torturers; rapists, step right up! Do the crime—Not
the time! Get your Patriotic Pardons here! No red tape! No forms
to fill out! Hot off the press—They’re a steal at $2 mil a pop!!
Rag-heads, Hymies, N****rs, Spics?? FUGGEDABOUDID!!”

* * *

Governor Woke Smoke’s $campaign:
Singing Dr. Goebbels’ greatest hits

Governor Woke Smoke croons—Intentionally Loud—
Serving silent 1% pickpockets…working the crowd…
Right to work/low wage state—“Where woke goes to die”
Homeless, and in poor health—‘living’ Goebbels’ Big Lie!

$campaign funding from richest, most rightist directions
for $election suppression and fueling fascist insurrections—
mishandling migrants, homelessness—and even hurricanes
Florida’s Führer’s being branded: “Boss Tweet with brains…”

Slashing social services, and leaving low-wealth stripes
he’s a groomer of Fox-box “white” anti-capitalist gripes—
re-klanning, book-banning, whitewashing, nazification—
The great Sunshine State’s lil “Special Psy-Operation!”

His disguised Defund the People Act—guess who it robs—
with wage-thieving, low-wage, non-union/dead-end jobs?
Knowing how fat cat reign ends—Minus the “Race Card”—
He’s weaponized ’gainst our numbers…No holds barred!

He’s tasked with turning back clocks on blood-won gains
so, Woke Smoke is branded: “Boss Tweet with brains!”
Harvard-Yale pedigree—Woke Smoke’s more clever—
than Governor Wallace’s “White supremacy forever!”

Land that forbids teaching about land theft/rusty chains—
where Woke Smoke’s running: “Boss Tweet with brains”
No teaching of enslaving Africans/killing First Nations—
Sparing “white” feelings floggings/lynchings/castrations!

Woke Smoke’s wedge-driving/culture-warring/totalitarian
aping a white nationalist, fascist, authoritarian Hungarian—
1% preferred—As the new “Boss Tweet with brains”—
Calling, “Next!” for the drones, bombs, missiles, and planes!

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

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CONTRIBUTOR

Raymond Nat Turner

Raymond Nat Turner is Poet-in-Residence at Black Agenda Report and former Co-Chair of the New York Chapter of the National Writers Union. He was privileged to read at the Harriet Tubman Centennial Symposium and has appeared at numerous festivals and venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival and Panafest in Ghana, West Africa.