When I Grow Up…

When I grow up I
wanna be bear hugs
and hundred watt smiles
for family, comrades and friends—
Easy to figure
out: come correct—
Or, not at all

When I grow up I
wanna be like the
keystone state son of
a Fighting Miner,
in major—music theory—
teaching poly-rhythmic
Resistance, asking:
“How do you keep the music playing,
How do you make it last?”

When I grow up I
wanna be like the
Quaker State son of
a Fighting Miner,
in major—allowing
Resistance and the
Organizer in
my DNA to
Lead the way…

When I grow up I
wanna be like the
Warrior jousting
windmills in front of
the War House, Picketing
for the Love of his
Life—rain, sleet, or snow—
Or sauna; showing,
Not telling, the rulers,
“Let my Peoples’ Lawyer go!”
Ain’t that lovin’ you, baby?

When I grow up I
wanna be like the cat
not above crashing
in airports, to
Visit his Valentine
shackled to the 17th century,
deep in the heart of
a Texas torture chamber

When I grow up I
wanna be a spirit
singing,“Lonely teardrops,
My pillow’s never dry…
Lonely teardrops, come
Ho-oh-oh-oh-Om…”

When I grow up I
wanna be like the knight,
who in his eye’s glint,
Her name’s writ in flames…

Former forklift driver/warehouse worker/janitor, Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. Read other articles by Raymond Nat, or visit Raymond Nat's website.