Vendor Writing

AVERY

JEN A.

Avery was the star of the family

Thanksgiving Zoom call

At least that’s what

Her grandmother said

She has a particular fondness

For the tyke

All grandmas have favorites

There was no mention of

The longing she must have felt

To be close

To hug her ‘mini me’

To feel the girl’s warm breath

Near her ear

When the girl whispered a secret

Just to her

A longing

To hear the child’s sweet voice say

“I love you, Grandma”

Desynthesized

Without the electronic filters and

Voltage control amplifiers

Of the technology

In her telling

She simply radiated joy

That during the dance party

Portion of the holiday Zoom call

Avery danced

More enthusiastically

Than any other member

Of the happy family

ST. NICK IS HERE

HAROLD B.

Everything was cool

Especially the air

The kids say

“He’ll soon be there”

Let’s throw up our hands

And give up a cheer

Let’s say

“After he leaves there”

St. Nick is here.

HOLIDAY CRIES

KATHY M.

Being away from family during the holidays Can be really hard on a lot of folks,

Missing out on seeing a lot of loved ones, Laughing, cutting up, and telling jokes

It brings holiday cries

We sit and think about the years in the past,

All we can think about is how long this pandemic gonna last.

It brings holiday cries

Losing loved ones each and every day, Seeing this virus taking more and more lives away.

It brings holiday cries

We have to stay strong through these holidays, Even though it’s not easy to do

Be there for one another and see each other through.

So there are no more Holiday cries!!

TO MY CHILD

DEANA H.

I worry if you’re tired

How’s your day been?

I hope and pray you are happy

Surrounded by your friends

When you way apart from me

I need to hear these things from you

Many days you are busy but

A simple hi and hello would be fine

You are an adult but you’re still my baby,

Even though you’re grown up

You have told me so,

But the parenting in me

Can never completely let go!

You’re always my baby honey

In my heart and mind and soul

Sometimes I need to hear from you

“Hello I’m doin fine,

Don’t let me go!”

Your momma always love you

DESPERATION HAS NO FRIENDS

LESLIE S.

Desperation has no friends.

It is always here ‘til the bitter end.

No matter how old or young you may be…

Desperation sucks,

Take it from me !!!

FLAGS

BY JACKIE S., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

You have probably seen many different flags around town and across the country lately, and might not know what they stand for. They are colored variations of the American flag. The blue stripe (“Blue Lives Flag”) represents the line between order and chaos. For those that doubt, despite anything negative, officers save lives, too. I teach my daughter (age 4) that MNPD helps people. When she asks how it is helping if people go to jail, I

BY JACKIE S., CONTRIBUTOR VENDORtell her that the person who called MNPD was helped by catching the monster that did something to another person. When asked about why people are angry at the police I tell her that in some places there are a few officers that should have had a different job. They were bad a their job and hurt some people. But say hi and be nice to all of them. If one was mean, then ignore them and say hi to all the others. She does not know, but I didn’t even

know that there was such a thing as ‘good’ officers until I moved to Davidson County (and met a few from surrounding areas, too). In my opinion, there’s a large area in East TN that needs an oversight board, legislation change and deserve the protests much more than Nashville does.

Sadly, a number of the ‘good’ ones I met here have been killed. While on that subject, the following are a couple of ways lives can be saved. I strongly encourage people to abide by the “Move-Over Law,” (TCA 55-8-132). Tennessee was the 30th state to enact one. This also applies to firefighters

(see red line flag), emergency personnel, tow trucks, utility vehicles (included in 2011 after original law passed in 2006) and even you (the reader) changing a tire. Speeding in Construction Zones Law (TCA 55-8-153). Also, I read on the odmp.org website about a nonprofit called St. Michael’s Shield Project,” formerly known as the Armor of God Project. Did you know that the average warranty for a bulletproof vest is five years? And many across the country do not have one issued to them. St. Michael’s tests vest and makes them available to agencies that need them (minus shipping costs).

They accept vest donations too.

The next flag (I briefly mentioned earlier) is the red line flag for firefighters. The yellow line is for dispatchers and EMTs. And again, remember TCA 55-8-132.

The gray line is for corrections officers. The green line is for military. Choose what you want to represent and help be the positive change. And remember “every day is celebrated.” If you know someone that is “no longer with us” celebrate their lives. Carry on what they would do. Be thankful for more than you already do, and try to support the blue line for “Nashville’s Guardians.”