by Fred Nicholson | Jan 23, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
the VisitorThere is comfortin knowingthat my TOD documentis now up to dateand signed.[What’s the hurry?]My very next visitormay be Covid-19.TOD, Transfer on Death.fJanuary 2, 2021
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 22, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
the Peacock and the Partridge.two birds with feathers,but not of a feather. one struts about squawking,displaying its brilliant plumage.the other is served on a platter,with its plumage plucked.one says ‘look at mebut do not touch’the other says ‘be nourishedby my...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 22, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Privilege! I also know privilegein a world of lightskin is best skinBUTnot light enough skin means I am still tailedby workers at Walmartand at Home Depot,regardless of the manyvisits and cash spent there.All that to sayprivilege is not onlyreserved for white...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 22, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Choosing Sides (out loud).Mitch has packed the courts with Conservative appointees, while disregarding the pandemic. Regrettably, I do not believe Biden has the will to play hardball with the Wrong Wing of this society. Obama tried compromise. What did that get him or...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 22, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
a Cancer, unnamed.You sayI hate your burninglooting and riotingin our inner cities.Let us talk moreI sayMLK talked and talkedand gave us a dreamwe all recite in part.It got us a day off.I saytalk has its time and place,but resistance to changehas festered since...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 22, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
I benefit from white privilege,not because I am white,but I am light, or was,as gravity and emotiondim my appearancedown to the roots. In NYC, folks thought I was Puerto Rican.In India, folks thoughtI was Indian.One doctor in this area told his dictaphoneI was white,...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 21, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Good FriendsWe left Vietnam,with our friendshanging from choppers.We’re leaving Syria,with our friendshanging from trees.Smokey the Bear says,’Always leave your friends,with a loving heart’,or something like that.’Trees are our friends...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 21, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Talking out loud.Ducks say quack quack quack.Dogs say woof woof woof.We go yack yack yack.Is there a difference?Ducks and Dogs can relatewith most every mate.We study books and the lawand still can’t communicate.When ducks and dogs get cross,they duke it out to...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 21, 2021 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
3 bellesEvening tides,a dark seascapeon a moonless night.A foot in time,one still behind,not here, not there.Eat your heart out.If no light pours through,do it again.fInitial publish 8/25/2020
by Fred Nicholson | Aug 10, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
a Day 1 story.I been pulled over by copsmostly black and whiteN0. mostly white.cops are symptoms white vs. colors, symptomsblack shootings are symptomsthe Truth isColumbus was out to enrichhis personal fortune.Lincoln didn’t give a damnabout a bunch of...
by Fred Nicholson | Aug 10, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
“Today, you are now free.”Painting the street yellowain’t gonna do much’bout black crimeon black folk.That paint is gonna be goneand the street will just befull of more potholesand hot verbal air,and black folk will still live and die in...
by Fred Nicholson | Aug 10, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Summer: 2022What’s your summergoing to be like?Oh, I’m going to stay in. I’m not so young anymore,can’t afford that COVID shot,and my Insurance won’t cover it.Well, at $800 a shot,and you need all three,not many of us can affordthat, with...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
an Ordinary Day.To white folks,aboutan Ordinary Day.They sayGeorge diedon an ordinary day.I saywe all dieon an ordinary day.The difference isyou will die in an ordinary way.George Floydis/was a black manin the U.S. of A.f
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
LogicYou have owned a car for several years,and it has its pluses and minuses,but generally it runs for you.Along comes a person who then says,”I have a much better car for you,and am passing a law that willmake your car illegal to own”.Some of us will...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Birds and Bells.The blue birds sing.I imagine the soundsThe door bells ring.I’m hearing are birdsand bells and other things,The blue birds sing.but my psychiatrist saysthe bells and birdsThe door bells ring.and constant ringingand singing in my headThe blue...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories, War Games
View Post a Secretly Recorded conversation.Donald: Bill, we gotta’ get past this mandemic.Bill: Pandemic, sir.Donald: How we gonna’ do it?Bill: Sir, the fastest way is through herd immunity.Donald: Herd what?Bill: Immunity! When more than enough people get sick, the...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
a Rant!A short while ago, I observed a discussion about Aunt Jemima, the woman on the syrup and pancake label. I found the different statements and positions about her, worth a few notes. Nature is not either/or, one or the other. Nature IS. Simple as that. IS.Action...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
One Play,in 2 Acts.1.We teach your kidsour history of conquest.Many years laterthe planted seedsof shame and blamelive in your daily lives.Poverty is a state of mind delivered to all you colors.Subjugation and dominationhave ruled your defiant roosts,since we landed...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 12, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
I hear. I say.I hearTrump TrumpTrump TrumpTrump is thatTrump is thisTrump good”Trump bad.I sayTrump followsin the footstepsof his founding father.f 4Beth Davis, DeAnna Woolston and 2 others
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 12, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
Convenient in action.When the current activities,marching talking toppling speaking writing, haverun their course,what then?Will services be based on need?Will schools be equally funded?Will banks start giving loans?Will equal pay be made law?Will policing be color...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 12, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
An interesting time in the human timeline.Covid-19 has been dealt with in a hodgepodge manner in the world, but especially so in the U.S. We may experience serious consequences on the back end. All we can do now is useappropriate PPE , keep our fingers crossed and...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 12, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
THENERVOUSBREAKDOWN.COM #AmplifyBlackPoetry: Poems from Fred Nicholson In solidarity with Black Lives Matter, TNB Poetry has created this space for BIPOC voices to shine. We will be publishing work by Black poets daily.
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 12, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
a White friend was expressing how upset he wasby the burning and looting and random violencebeing displayed by the thugs fighting our police.He noted that calm protests and talking is best.I gave his comments consideration and then said,when has talking peace and...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 12, 2020 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Stories
a Loose Ramble.White folks saystop blaming slaveryfor your looting and burninglocal businesses to the ground.Black folks all knowfrom day one chainedflogged branded rapedbeaten to death just because,complying with youwould build your wealthand self value as a...
