A POEM BY NIPSEY RUSSELL

Unused ticket for "To Tell the Truth," November 5, 1974

36 years ago on Tuesday November 5, 1974 I attended a taping of “To Tell the Truth.” It also happened to be Election Day. A regular panelist on the show at that time was the fun-loving Nipsey Russell, who had a poem for every occasion… and Election Day was no different.

Not yet 14-years old, I didn’t totally understand the poem he recited that day, but I never forgot it. And in time I learned why it was so funny.

It will help if you try to read this with Nipsey’s classic delivery in your mind:

I’ve written a poem about politics,

I think you should read it before you vote,

It’s about the Democrats, the Republicans, and the taxpayers,

And it’s called the donkey, the elephant, and the goat 

Unused ticket for "To Tell the Truth," November 5, 1974

Nipsey Russell died on October 2, 2005 at age 87. The man never failed to put a smile on my face.

Tags: Election Day, Goodson-Todman, Nipsey, Nipsey Russell, November 5, Poem, To Tell the Truth, TV show tickets