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A Ballad of Bellport

In stockings and slippers,
A dress to her knees,
She scans the horizon
And takes in the breeze.
She glances to Heaven,
Peruses the seas.

Reports of a mishap
Have filled her with fear,
But surely his promise
Would bring him back here.
O, please, will he hurry
For sunset draws near.

She gazes the distance
O’er swimmers and boats.
No sign of his dory;
Her heart’s in her throat.
O, truly, he’s coming;
She’s clutching his note.

Fatigue overwhelms her
From worry and wait.
The sky’s growing darker;
Would he be this late?
A sloop and a schooner
Have witnessed his fate.

She learns after sundown
Of dory and mate.

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Margaret Brinton has lived in San Diego’s inland valley area for over forty years where she taught and tutored. Her poems have recently been published in California Quarterly and Westward Quarterly and The Lyric with upcoming work in the greeting card industry.

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12 Responses

  1. Paul A. Freeman

    The urgency conveyed by the short, staccato lines is palpable – a ‘stanza turner’ of a poem. I hoped for a happy ending, but as often happens, the sea can be cruel.

    I even looked up ‘dory’ for a greater sense of the story being told, and to get a better sense of the all too familiar feeling the wives and sweethearts of sailors, fishermen and boatmen experienced when their loved ones were overdue.

    Thanks for the read, Margaret

    Reply
  2. Roy Eugene Peterson

    This is a precious poem and lyrical ode to those who have waited for the promised return of a mate only to learn of their disastrous fate. The longing and hope are palpable only to be dashed on the rocks of despair. Beautifully composed.

    Reply
  3. Joseph S. Salemi

    This is a lovely poem. I assume it is set in the small village of Bellport, New York, located on Long Island. The place has a long fishing history.

    Reply
    • Margaret Brinton

      Thank you , Joseph, for taking the time to read and then to make such a favorable response. (Yes, Long Island.)

      Reply
  4. Margaret Coats

    This ballad in dimeter develops tragedy fully from the opening anticipation in just a hundred and eleven words. Remarkable work, Margaret.

    Reply
  5. C.B. Anderson

    I loved it, and I especially like how each line consists of a single iamb and a single anapest. This is not the usual practice, but it works perfectly. We should all experiment with unorthodox meter. I also liked the way you left lines 1, 3 & 5 of each stanza blank, but with feminine endings. I wonder whether you labored to generate this wonderful scheme, or whether it just comes natural to you. In either case, you forestalled a glut of rhymes, which might have left the poem jingly and less serious.

    Reply
    • Margaret Brinton

      It was indeed a labor, C.B. It required many days to perfect this ballad. Thank you for your insight regarding style.

      Reply
  6. Patricia

    Margaret,
    Your writing about the pain of loss,.is beautiful and moving.
    Congratulations, Patricia

    Reply

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