O my goodness, my dream! I dreamed that you were here
Your photograph hung above the mantel
You in your favorite suit: black and white
Your boyish haircut: like little boy blue tights:
In the background stood your old guitar, montel
Yorkie, your best friend watched with curious eyes:
I long to be with you: I long to hold you
I long for us to be whole again:
Ocean can only separate us, for a short time
I am not yours and you are not mind,
My worn out heart this old thing, have been
control, misunderstood and influence:
It remember, those who love it, and those
Who pretended to understand it:
the weather was below zero
all the windows covered in snow
the year was nineteen sixty three
everyone gathered around in wait for me
mom's belly was full and oh so tight
small cousins peeked pushed and began to fight
an aunt said you kids please leave the room
mom's face was scared and full of gloom
she knew this baby would be born at home
the entire family were there she wasn't alone
towels and blankets all at her feet
she turned on her knees and pushed me on a sheet
with no where to go in all of this snow
proud dad passed out cups of hot cocoa
the cocoa was sweet a light shade of brown
people gathered outside from all over town
dad looked at my skin and came up with a name
everyone laughed he said this is not a game
she's so sweet skin so brown i already know
that my new daughter's name is now cocoa
Written 1999 Tampa bay Montel Williams poetry contest
she had beckoned my soul
her envy surrounded me
as i sat writing poetry and song
it was my identity she was after
her name was jay mine was yolanda
i recited poems for montel williams
on poetry .com my poems became quilts
maps of my freedom my life back home
springfield illinois she was from Tampa
i chicago poetry was my life she entered
my window to her surprise st john paul 11
i was kneeling jane enraged joining corruption
switching documents developing a false doctrine
beneath the high ways and by ways
i glance in the mirror reflecting her face
she was becoming me while i was vanishing
quickly i dash to washington dc civil rights
memorial freedom of self expression
dignity truth courage home
i'm brown in my color
i'm free in my mind
my spirit soars
my laughter roars
i'm not a ghost i'm the host
this is my fury
it taste of sweet curry
my stars are all in place
my head is pointed at the sun
i know i'm free to run
the joy of africa indeed
the sweet beginning of my colored seed
strong proud and beautiful i'll grow
the sun will shine the moon will glow
my heart feels like a child with toy
i know who i am and that's africa's joy
Written by Mrs Yolanda Joy Nicholsen
9-14-1999 Tampa Florida for
Montel Williams poetry contest
I won again 2003 Fort Myers Florida
flip, flip, flip,
boredom, early in the morning,
the day after Christmas.
the channels go by quicker than
the memories of life from a death bed.
i stop on the Montel Williams Show mostly
out of thumb fatigue.
i see a-pain-faced woman
speaking about the recent unsolved murder of her father.
coincidentally it's the story of my uncle Hal and
the woman, Nicole, is the grown-up version of my cousin Nikki.
until this moment, i haven't seen her since she was the tom-boy
who tried to show me how to bait a fishing line by grabbing a live worm
and stabbing through it twice with the hook in different places to keep
the worm from falling off while it was in the water.
i was too squeamish to do it myself.
a wimpy boy in her ten-year-old eyes.
we were visiting the Florida town they lived in
during a rare Christmas vacation.
although she told me i would see her again as we hugged goodbye,
i never thought i would because she lived across the country.
now i have seen her,
this morning,
exactly 19 years to the day,
under the worst circumstances i could think of,
but she was right
in her now dark prophecy.
Hush hush baby
Every thing is alright
No need to worrie I got you tight
Wipe your tears
No more fears
Jojo has got you
And I aint going no where
So lay your head down
Listen to the sound of my voice
I love you
And im here to protect you
I’ll pray to the almighty lord to guide and protect you
my brothers and sisters i love you
baby tanisha
baby tia tha people who keeps me going strong
lil man montel
big man michael
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