Silver Linings: These Words Still Shine
Congratulations to the IPC “Poet’s Pulse” Contest Runners-Up!
SECOND PLACE
WORD PLAY WITH RAWLE
Henry L. Jones
We're two poets full of words to share words sang like an old familiar song made with a word game for us to play you start brother say a verse run down the low down of society I'll play off your last words and start a new beginning with my played words weaved in then you roll off my last words to keep this game going until we create a powerful poem twirling into listeners' ears from our creative collabing part you and me a mighty message for the world words transformed into powerful images from two souls memories made two poet friends full of words.
*Dedicated to my poet friend, Rawle Iam James who died in 2025
Henry L. Jones, poet, artist, playwright, author, and actor, is the Inaugural Poet Laureate of Hendersonville, Tennessee. This award-winning poet is author of five books, which include include his upcoming Black Skillet Blues: Poetry without Cornbread (Beatlick Press, 2025). A winner of fellowships, grants, residencies, and visiting writers programs, Jones is the president of the National Black Poet Laureate Society. His film, In this Season, which is based on his dedication poem about Hendersonville, is in progress. He is a Fisk University alumnus.
SECOND PLACE
Toyer
Linette Rabsatt
my favorite poet knows how to weave her words in awesome ways somehow, she just has a gift in knowing how to craft what she says she’s talked about how her arms were stressed while going to the gym she even described the ladies in church who should be singing their hymns highlighting their peculiar behaviors and how some forget that they sin she loves to speak about nature’s vibe with vibrant language to capture the reader this Virgin Islands’ poet showcases her culture there are not many poets in the world like her she has eloquence when she delivers her words although she dislikes the sound of her voice I think she is beautiful and creative and will always be my number one choice
*Toyer Fahie is a Virgin Islands poet who has had several poems published in various publications.
Linette Rabsatt is a Virgin Island native. She is a mother of two, and Human Resource Manager at Government of Virgin Islands. She is an excellent orator, profound poet, and author.
THIRD PLACE
A DATE WITH JUDI
Judith Veder
My memories pile up like his unread poems on my vanity. Once upon a time for a minute after my divorce I dated Tom Weatherly, all 6 feet 8 of him. Alabama man, Black Scottsboro Alabama man who became a Jew. A man who sang the blues from the south. NY girl, White Bronx NYC girl born a Jew. What did I know of the south? And I surely could not sing. We wanted to discover the universe, see places we’d known for the very first time. “We weren’t safe from dying,” he said, “ until we were dead” or something like that. But in 2014 he died. I could not find a “saxaphonyphrase” to speak in front of all who knew him. I could only lower my head, shield my eyes and move along. Years later I caught a glimpse of him wandering between the living and the dead.
Judith Veder is a Secretary at Huon River Audubon Society of Westchester. She is a Butterfly Volunteer at the American Museum of Natural History. She is an outstanding poet and author.
FOURTH PLACE
Chillin’ with Greatness
Zan V. Johns
I arranged an excursion to Mars
with the great Nikki Giovanni—
my companion of choice
Spaceship in the desert, no media…
just Nikki’s phenomenal voice
Launch of ease and enlightenment Harmonious blend of wisdom and poetry Nikki fostered understanding For her, civility was not demanding
Our inspiring icon transitioned suddenly
Now my Plan B is a call to heaven
where she rests peacefully
I will ask about her final days—
Was she physically drained…
Did she yield to absolute disdain…
Was she utterly furious after the election…
Upon reflection, Nikki told us to vote
Remember the warnings of doom
in her works and quotes…
She foresaw our first Madam President
I suppose that she was so convinced
that she craved life beyond death
because our trip to Mars
would not come soon enough
I wonder if Nikki meant every word in “When I Die” I won’t ask … we’ll just chill
Zan V. Johns is an internationally recognized award-winning poet and author. Her debut book was in 2020. She has several books of which one (1) is an Amazon best seller at #1 and one (1) is Pulitzer Prize-entered.
She is Poet Laureate of Canada’s Women Speakers Association (WSA), She is a contributing author in WSA’s #1 international bestselling collaborative series Voices of the 21st Century (2021-2025). Her poems are featured as the Dedication page in these collaborative books. She believes that every word shared is an opportunity to love.
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