Words of Ribbon

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Growth

Growth is not the same for everyone. All 3 pieces were placed in water on the same day and in the same container. They are different cuttings and each one's roots grow differently. Humas are similar in that we are all unique. We all have flaws and room for growth. We have different talents. We grow at different times. Invest in what grows you!

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Poem: Planted in Service – Blooming in Honor

I wrote this poem to share at the Retiree Recognition Ceremony which was held today. I actually wrote it this morning. The theme was the title of this poem and I wanted to show the relation between a soursop tree's growth and the retiree's journey as Public Officers. Let me know if I am on track.

Do you remember your first day as a Public Officer?
Sharp, neat, excited and thrilled…
You were like that little soursop seed
Ready to stretch, extend and grow
After the first year, you got settled
Better understanding your role
Making connections
Just like that seed that became a little sapling
Still needing care and support
To keep you growing
And building confidence
You got that 10 year pin
And you knew you were destined
To be a career public officer
Similar to that soursop tree
That had become taller
And started to blossom
You had ups and downs
And sometimes those blossoms fell off
But you maintained the course
And eventually saw the fruits of your labour
These fruits – literally or figuratively
Gave inspiration, love and support
To the customers and the new sets of Public Officers
You dared to dream and spread your wings
Like that soursop tree
That is now resilient – it survived Irma and Maria
And gave sustenance during Covid19
You like this tree
Was planted in the Public Service
Blossomed with excellence
Fruited the next generation
Laying a path for them to be even better
And today you bloom in honor
Because your work was impactful
To the growth of this territory
As you journey forward, keep blooming
Just like that soursop tree
That provides healing, shade and beauty

in the Virgin Islands and across the world

© Linette Rabsatt 5-23-2026

Sunday, May 10, 2026

Happy Mother's Day 2026 Poem

Be inspired!

Thursday, April 30, 2026

My April 2026 National Poetry Month

BVI

April is National Poetry Month. I wrote a poem every day based on prompts I found online or from my own inspiration. I had a few pieces published, lots of rejections and notifications of some upcoming acceptances. I'm never daunted by the rejections because it is an important part of the development process.

Here's my April 2026 update!

Visit to East End Library

I had the pleasure of spending part of my morning on Friday, April 24, 2026 at the East End Library. I shared a few poems and had the children read with me. It's a great way to keep them engaged while showing how easy poetry can be.

Blue Crystal Literary Magazine

My poem, Snowfall, was featured in the 23rd Issue of Blue Crystal Literary Magazine. Congratulations to the winner, Hugh Findlay with his poem, A Visitation.

Poetry Downtown Rutland 2026

I have been participating in Poetry Downtown Rutland for a few years by sharing poems that are displayed in in Rutland, Vermont. This year, 76 poets were featured including April Tia Glasgow with Men make monsters to slay them, Hiram Larew with Clatter, and Laura Gravel with Villanelle for Renee and Best Country in the World. My poem was "Reciprocation."

Where We Meet Magazine

My poem, I Don't Want Roses, was published on page 52 in Issue #1 of Where We Meet Magazine.

Krafty Pages ChronicleS Magazine

I have several poems featured in Volume II of the Krafty Pages ChronicleS Magazine: I am a Mangrove on Page 16, My Peace on Page 61 and The Password and Nature's Palette on Page 17. This issue also features Tiffany Brewley's poem, Love that Binds on page 49, Nita Chase's poem, My Love Language on page 59, and Nikiesha McMaster's features on page 24 and 108. There's also a special feature on Ashanti Taylor-Alexander, the creator of Pulse Poetry Magazine on pages 112-113.

Orenaug Mountain Publishing Poetry Roundtable

On Saturday, April 4, 2026, I participated in the Orenaug Mountain Publishing Poetry Roundtable which featured Prithvijeet Sinha. I shared two pieces, The Countdown and Going Over the Speed Limit.

Pulse Poetry Magazine

The April 2026 Issue of Pulse Poetry Magazine showcases Queen Poetry as the featured poet. Read work from Klassy Poet, Eloquent Pearlfection, Lisa ‘Lipps’ Davis and Nelly Vee. My poems in this issue are The Message in the Music and Sweet Lady. Pulse Poetry Magazine provides an opportunity for poets to showcase their work. Thank you to Ashanti Taylor-Alexander for giving us this amazing platform!

Twin Pineapples

Micromance Magazine

Micromance Magazine published my poem, Sounds of Love, on April 27, 2026. I wrote this piece based on a prompt from Legendary Ink.

The PoArtMo Magazine

My poem, Learning to be Loved, is featured in the The PoArtMo Magazine: Issue 2 – Childhood Dreams and Goals.

“I had to hide and still had to seek”

Poetry on YouTube

Easter: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_C35yal9Wig
The Countdown: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/52VyDj0KAOc
Back at Ya: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-_fJCCb2yxw
How Easy We Forget: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DwEfBLKhJW0

New Poem

A Day without Music

if music didn’t exist for a day
the world would rotate anticlockwise
unhappiness would thrive
people would forget to smile
all fauna would be mute
and the seas would cease rolling
while the winds would no longer howl
trees would uproot due to boredom
because music is in every facet of life

© Linette Rabsatt 4-30-2026

Be inspired!

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Antonymy Prompt - ambiguity vs clarity

In Oulipian usage, antonymy means the replacement of a designated element by its opposite. Each word is replaced by its opposite, when one exists (black/white) or by an alternative suggesting antonymy (a/the, and/or, glass/wood). Source: https://the-muse.org/poetry-prompt-april-25/

ambiguity

am I clear
maybe no
barely so
is it that
good words are not enough
unfit for clarity
instead
trained for brevity
yielding unclear and confusing directions

© Linette Rabsatt 4-17-2026

clarity

could I be unclear

definitely yes

regularly I am

it could never be that

bad words are what are needed

fit for confusion

set in place

untamed for the deluge

hiding clarity and simplicity

© Linette Rabsatt 4-25-2026

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

March 2026: Celebration of Poetry

My neighbor's cats

My March was filled with challenges:

I challenged myself to write new poems
I fought the flu
I facilitated a consultation at work on an 'interesting' topic
I had to do a lot of critical thinking and mind stretching
I taught short poetry sessions for two classes: Grade 3 and Grade 4
I had a strange chicken disrupt my porch garden

What is life without challenges? I stumble, trip, fall and fail, but I never give up. Invest in what grows you!

World Poetry Day

I shared a blog post for World Poetry Day 2026.

The Haiku Shack Magazine

My poem, The Lone Lily, is featured in The Haiku Shack Magazine Issue 6.

Dimly Writ

My poem, Rockabye Baby, was published by Dimly Writ: Edition #2: Winter of 2026. It was inspired by a prompt from Legendary Ink.