Elegy for Terry Collins, Revolutionary

 Black August 2021

ANCESTOR TERRY COLLINS

For more than five decades, Terry was a beacon and mainstay of Bay Area resistance: leader of the SF State Strike (1968-69), Black Panther, Founder and President of KPOO-fm Community Radio, Stalwart defender of political prisoners. 

MARVIN X READING ELEGY FOR TERRY COLLINS

photo Harrison Chastang

Oh, Terry, Revolutionary

Tip of spear

Look of Lion King

Dapper Swagger Classic

Like yr uncle Malcolm X

Yo Mama Ella Collins bad too

Didn’t she run Boston?

Collins family owned land in dirty South

no share-croppers jim crow slaves

black land owners shot back

better ax somebody

Ella Collins bout it bout it

Paid Malcolm’s way to Mecca

You and brother Rodnel

Royal brothers I say

Glad to know you both

Wife Cat Cecelia

daughters too Kiara and Renya

KPOO family royal

We know JJ got the baton

Joe Rudolph taught us all

how to talk on radio

No matter how many takes

One more Joe said

Oh, Terry Revolutionary

You interviewed me so many times

We gotta book in KPOO archives

So many nights so many subjects, local

global events

Africa, Palestine Iran Syria Afghanistan

San Francisco State University Professor Dr. Rabab

I. Abdulhadi gifted the poet with the Palestinian flag

after his reading. Invited him to speak at an upcoming

event on Palestine honoring Terry Collins for his long-time

support of Palestine.

You my draft counselor when I refused to fight in Vietnam

I did exile twice listening to you, fled to Canada, Mexico City, Belize

Terminal Island Federal Prison too

Oh, Terry Revolutionary

Soldier, you relieved of post

Let the new generation soldiers carry your coffin

Let them know weight of revolutionary love action

study your life

revolution beyond color class sex gender

Revolution is seizure of power nada mas

Change is revolution nada mas

Oh, Terry Revolutionary, you made change

Black Studies change

you changed the airways

with black voices, independent liberated

You changed chains off brains

preached til you could say no more

do no more

What shall we do without you

alone exhausted

solitude of our lives

inundated with isolation

terrified in rooms

scared of virus vaccine too

watching elders dancing daily into ancestor land

We must catch and hold high torch of revolution

Oh, Terry Revolutionary, you did 85 years in Babylon

Old Jewish New York Communist Party women told me

Better be a Communist

We Communists live long time

Gus Hall checked out at 90

You did your revolutionary duty

for all to see

freed everybody

wife, children, comrades, community, world

and me!

a friend to the end

true friend

Love you, Terry

heart broken

want to cry

Tears don't come

May come today

I cry for your love

tenacity lessons

for generations to come.

Oh, Terry Revolutionary

remember the Black Arts Movement 50th Celebration

at Laney College

Intergenerational Discussion with your daughter, Phavia's child and my daughter Nefertiti

whose words went viral

"Dad, you say you gonna pass the baton

but you won't pass the baton

we qualified and ready

so pass the baton!"

Oh, daughters Renya and Kiara

Dad passed the baton

Don't you feel it in your hands?

run for your life to finish line of liberation

see him there

If you fall he will catch you

time after time!

We elders will catch you

time after time

feel like you slipping into darkness

give us a call

Oh, Terry Revolutionary, our work is not in vain

Children grandchildren coming strong

Like Garvey said

Look for them in the Whirlwind!

--Marvin X

7/8/21

Revised 7/22/21

DANNY GLOVER AND MARVIN X