My July 2024 Poetic Journey and a Poem

July has been a great month for sharing my poetry! I continue to be thankful to those who share my work and encourage me.

Here is a recap of my activities:

• I have three poems published in DoubleSpeak Magazine.
• Two of my poems are in the July issue of Pulse Poetry Magazine.
• My poem, "My Thoughts," is officially in the Poetry Archive competition.
• I participated in a poetry competition hosted by She Barz in June and uploaded my entry, "De-Stress," on my YouTube page.
• I joined the Lucid Voices Magazine team and was featured. We have a lot more to share in the coming months.
• On July 18, I performed as the featured reader at the CAPS Online Poetry Reading. I am forever grateful to Mike Jurkovic for having the confidence in me.
• I performed my poem, "Planet and People in Harmony," at the Welcome and Cocktail Reception for the 11th COM:ES Exhibition on Environmental Sustainability. I'm on from 41:24 to 44:19. I combined two poems to share my message and call to action.
• On July 28, I joined Nita Chase and other wonderful poets on Poets and Spoken Word Artists Exhaling on the Mic. My participation was not planned, but I was very grateful for the opportunity to share my work with such talented poets.
• On July 31, I was interviewed for Wide Awoke Wednesday organized by the wonderful people behind Pulse Poetry Magazine and Pour Your Heart Out Open Mic.

I continue to say that I want my work to inspire the world. I am grateful for your feedback and encourage you to comment.

Here's a poem from my book, "Be Inspired: Poems by Linette Rabsatt":

The Nurturer
seeing him is a richness
of fulfillment,
I cannot understand the depths
of this love,
completion is only secondary
to the achievement
of being nurtured
inspired
and commended by
one who distinctly
resides in loving peace
with himself
his surroundings and
his being,
acceptance of his philosophy
is a mere decision
delighted and uplifted by
the assets of his heart and
loving spirit.
© Linette Rabsatt

I will be participating in the Mental Health Poetry Contest on August 3, 2024 organized by the talented, She Barz. I am very excited about this event. The link will be shared on my various outlets.

Poetic Journey - June 2024 YouTube and Magazine Features

Have you gotten your copy of my Kindle Book: "Be Inspired: Poems by Linette Rabsatt"?

My poetic journey for June 2024 included:

Magazines

• DoubleSpeak Magazine - 3 poems
• Pulse Poetry Magazine - 2 poems

I feel honored to work with these talented poets and am extremely happy to be featured in these publications.

Videos

• My poem, "My Thoughts," is officially in the Poetry Archive competition
• I recently participated in a poetry competition hosted by She Barz. Here is my entry, "De-Stress"

Never be afraid to share your talents. Invest in what grows you!

Poem: revisited

Please check out my latest video of my Poem, revisited. It's my first try at video creation. I would be grateful for your feedback on the poem and the video. Please subscribe to my channel.

Happy Father's Day 2024

I wrote this poem in 2008 and shared it with the Island Sun Newspaper for Father's Day. I enjoy writing for celebrations because we should honor our family members and community with our talents. I created the graphic very simply. I didn't want too much prettiness or flowers. I didn't want it to resemble the typical Father's Day images. 

On Facebook, there's always some controversy about fathers and their role. I don't indulge in those topics. I am appreciative of my family and the role they played in shaping me. I can only encourage young and new parents to do their best for their children. If the romance has dwindled and you can't get along, find a common ground to take care of your child. That advice was for both mom and dad.

As parents, we nurture our children physically, mentally, and emotionally. Don't let a spouse or significant other, your job, or friends distract you from your family. Invest in what grows you.

Ribbon

Poetry is Alive: My May 2024 Journey

May 2024 has been exciting for me as a poet. I shared my work in online readings, in magazines, and during a live poetry competition. I feel energized to share my work and to encourage other writers to do the same.

However, I also heard several persons say that they felt burned out I remind you of the following:

• A job should not define you. You are more than a position.
• Invest your spare time in you. Learn something, write something, grow something, or make something.
• Think carefully about work-life balance. Work hard, shine, meet, and beat the timelines, but take care of yourself.
• Rest, pray, sing, laugh, and dance.

I also want to encourage you to invest in yourself. I have worked hard to share my work. I look for journals, competitions, online open mics, and magazines. I want to inspire the world with my work; I have to champion that effort. Please invest in what grows you!

Check out my various participations this May:

• Pulse Poetry Magazine – I shared two poems in the June 2024 issue. 
• Interview on Quintessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio and YouTube with Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram: This was invigorating. I am truly inspired. 
• Pour Your Heart Out Open Mic Virtual Contest: I performed my poem, “A Michael Jackson Story,” and enjoyed interacting with the other poets. 
• My fellow poets and I were nominated for the 2024 National Spoken Word Awards.
• LA Rabsatt for Category #7 Best International Artist
• Papi's Poetry Corner for Category #17 Radio Show/TV or Radio Station of the Year
• Lady Crucible/Neia Coney for Category #16 Rising Star Of The Year
• Angel Kim-Mack for Category #18 Best Spoken Word Storyteller
• Nelly Vee for Category #20 P.O.E.T. Community Service Award

Also, as I think about my statement about a job not defining you, I am sharing something fresh from my archives. 

a new definition

I looked at myself and said, no way
my definition has gone astray
what is my purpose? what is my vision?
how am I making correct decisions
if I don't have a clear definition?

I said if my goal was to look like BET
then there's no future in that for me
how can I define myself by these TV standards
and make my life another sad played-out ballad

is it a man that I need to define me
to fight another sister recklessly?
girl, you can have that brother
my definition is for me to be a better mother

material things? they've come and gone
I focus on my needs - the priority, #1
this personal definition is not of my pocket
it's my soul, my passion, the love I give and get

my education - yea that helps me plot my vision
raise my awareness and keep me in unison
still, a degree does not define me fully
but has opened my eyes to Mother Earth around me

so where does my definition lie?
a tiny taste of humble pie
brings me to realize that life
though tough and filed with rife
makes my definition complete

the love that has been given
and the love that I have given
makes me complete and real
my definition

© Linette Rabsatt

Please don't forget to get a copy of my Kindle book, "Be Inspired: Poems by Linette Rabsatt." Also, please visit my YouTube pageYouTube page for my latest upload, "A Broken Pen,A Broken Pen," which was shared for Poetry Downtown Rutland.

2024 Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

#mothersdayarttribute

My National Poetry Month Experience and a Poem

I have not written on my blog since April 2, 2024. It's not that I wasn't writing or wanting to share. April was National Poetry Month in the USA, and I celebrated it by participating in a daily writing challenge, online readings, and one workshop. Thank you to Angel Kim-Mack for sharing the challenges in Papi's Poetry Corner.

Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram of Quintessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio and YouTube interviewed me on May 2, 2024. It was the first time anyone ever picked my brain so deeply about my writing. I look forward to hearing the edited version that Dr. Ingram will share soon. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.

Online interviews and poetry readings have helped me with delivery and confidence. I feel that I have improved my intonation and pace. More exposure provides avenues for development and keeps you open to suggestions.

I always encourage investment in our talents. Continuously seek avenues to share your work by connecting with our persons in your field. Ensure that your name is on your work before you share. Most importantly, get your work out there!

Here is one of the poems that I wrote for challenge. The image for this post is the picture I colored.

Day 29 Prompt: Write a poem from the perspective of a forgotten photograph. What memories does it hold or bring back? What feelings did it make you feel? Tap into the nostalgia of it.

Having Heart
I remember when we tried to show
that we had heart
our own people stood with us
while silently tearing us apart
the mission was to deliver a simple
kind and generous gesture
nothing extravagant or bourgeois
but yes - we did take a picture
not to boast that we did something
that was oh so great
but to remind people that not
everyone has a food-filled plate
it seems that no matter what
you try to do in this life
somehow people find the way
to make confusion and strife
but what I most remember
about that day
was not what anyone had
to express or even say
it was the joy of coloring a
plain bunny rabbit
taking me back to a time
when being creative was
a pastime and not a habit
so that’s why I will continue
to invest in my poetry
and not waste time with people’s
bad attitudes and anarchy
I’m going to continue sharing
love straight from my heart
hoping that one day my love
will also touch your heart
© Linette Rabsatt

I am very excited about a feature spot on Calling All Poets Series on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Thank you to Mike Jurkovic for allowing me to share my work with a global audience. I plan to share poems that span my writing career which started in 1996. Register here and tune in to support me and the other poets who will be participating in that reading. 

Remember, continue to hone your talents and get your work out there!