Bout-rimés
Martin Elster

Down the beach I approached a small man standing where

the breakers dashed onto the shore. I said, “Why

have you snatched up that starfish to fling through the air

and into the waves?” Under brilliant blue sky

 

he picked up another. “They’re all on the brink

of dying,” he told me. The sweep of the white

hot sand stretched forever. Into the drink

he lobbed yet another. As day fell to night

 

the man carried on. “To the ends of the earth

there are starfish!” I said. “I have really no words

but: You can’t save them all!” Then he said with much mirth,

“Saved this one!”—his voice like the cry of sea birds.

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Martin’s notes: “The title of this poem indicates that it’s a bouts-rimés, French for ’rhymed ends.’ Here’s the link to the Wikipedia page about the form. The end-words in this poem are from ’Tewkesbury Road’ by John Masefield. I enjoy the challenge of bouts-rimés, and I’m pleased to say that I had a fair amount of success over the years in The Oldie’s annual bouts-rimés competitions. Sometimes the enormity of the planet’s problems overwhelms us, but this poem offers a gentle reminder that, if we can do even one small thing to help each other or the natural world, it’s better than doing nothing at all.“​​

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Published in THEMA

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Martin Elster, who never misses a beat, was for many years a percussionist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra (now retired). Aside from playing and composing music, he finds contentment in long walks in the woods or the city and, most of all, writing poetry, often alluding to the creatures and plants he encounters. His career in music has influenced his fondness for writing metrical verse, which has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies in the US and abroad. His honors include Rhymezone’s poetry contest (2016) co-winner, the Thomas Gray Anniversary Poetry Competition (2014) winner, the 2022 Helen Schaible International Sonnet Contest winner, the Science Fiction Poetry Association’s poetry contest (2015) third place, a Best of the Net nomination, and five Pushcart nominations. His latest collection, From Pawprints to Flight Paths: Animal Lives in Verse, is forthcoming from Kelsay Books.

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