Rabbit and Rose

beaded rabbit

Army of Artists

(For My Friend Horace)

Ensemble ENTER "Peace"


Harmony of a hug,

Rhythm of a rose,

Melody in the mirror


We are an army of artists

Merchants of life,

Beauty's our bomb,

Love its shrapnel. . .


We are an army of artists

Infantry on feet of celebration,

Toes polishing

Hardwood floors with perspiration


We are an army of artists

Brandishing sticks and brushes,

Softening up enemies with

Strokes and notes,

Partisans wielding pastels,

Oils and acrylics-

Connecting dots, hitting spots

On canvas and paper


We are an army of artists

Foreign fighters, formerly known

As Dukes, Counts, Birds and Pops-

Militant magi weaving dreams in

Azure skies, etching prayers

In mirrors with our acid tears


(SOLOS: bass, piano)


We are an army of artists

Asymmetrical warriors,

Mopping up murals

Gracing broken-down buildings-

Enemy combatants crying clear

Lacquer on contrabasses,

Snipers shooting sunlight into

Hearts held hostage by the 1%

Ellingtonia is our tonic. . .

For subdominant dreams


We are an army of artists

Dangerously unselfish,

Enemies of ignorance

Drumming to different dancers-

Staging attacks in theaters

Exploding in applause!

Raymond Nat Turner

contents of issue 8

IN TIME OF TROUBLE
Linda Rodriguez

The Healing Soup
Jaunita Pahdopony

Army of Artists
Raymond Nat Turner

Where Wings once were
Zigi Lowenberg

What they don't tell you when they tell you about cancer
James Mackay

Ghosts Floating on the Flat White Bed
Erika T. Wurth

Remission Dawning
Stephany JT Russell

Fire Garden
Suha Hassan

Raymond Nat Turner Biography

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet privileged to have read at the Harriet Tubman Centennial Symposium. He is Artistic Director of the stalwart JazzPoetry Ensemble upsurgejazz and has appeared at numerous festivals and venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival and Panafest in Ghana West Africa. He currently is Poet_in_Residence at Black Agenda Report and a frequent contributor to Dissident Voice, as well as Struggle Magazine. Turner has opened for such people as James Baldwin, People&$39;s Advocate Cynthia McKinney, radical sportswriter Dave Zirin and CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee following her lone vote against attacking Afghanistan.

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