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/arda/ - Tolkien's Legendarium

All things J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-Earth

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Day shall come again!

File: 1448164583836.jpg (94.36 KB, 500x375, 4:3, 71ab9bc55e1f4c94df18878db9….jpg)

 No.215

A few years back, I decided to make it my tradition to reread The Lord of the Rings around this time of year, when the weather turns cold. I'm making my way through book two of the Fellowship now. And what has struck me now are the bits of poetry and song throughout the books.

Now, when I first read the books as a kid, I really glossed over this stuff. I've never had a good feel for rhythm, and I've never been able to appreciate poetry. But I feel like I appreciate it a lot more now. Not only is it a neat way that Tolkein adds depth to his world, and gives us snippets about the deeds of the elder days, but it says something about the characters who compose and recite them. It seems like everyone can recite these poems from memory at the drop of a hat. Bilbo spends his retirement composing and reciting poems for the entertainment of the elves. Even Sam can quote verse about the fall of Gil Galad in the last alliance.

I’m sure this stems from the influence Tolkein took from the epic poems of the eddas and the Finnish Kalevala and such.

I thought I had a point when I started writing this, but my mind has wandered. I just like the view of a society that values poetry, and makes it such a basic part of their culture.

 No.216

Anyway, I'll leave you with a poem Gimli recites about Moria. I agree with Sam's reaction. I like it, and want to learn it.

“The world was young, the mountains green,

No stain yet on the Moon was seen,

No words were laid on stream or stone

When Durin woke and walked alone.

He named the nameless hills and dells;

He drank from yet untasted wells;

He stooped and looked in Mirrormere,

And saw a crown of stars appear,

As gems upon a silver thread,

Above the shadow of his head.

The world was fair, the mountains tall,

In Elder Days before the fall

Of mighty kings in Nargothrond

And Gondolin, who now beyond

The Western Seas have passed away:

The world was fair in Durin’s Day.

A king he was on carven throne

In many-pillared halls of stone

With golden roof and silver floor,

And runes of power upon the door.

The light of sun and star and moon

In shining lamps of crystal hewn

Undimmed by cloud or shade of night

There shone for ever fair and bright.

There hammer on the anvil smote,

There chisel clove, and graver wrote;

There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;

The delver mined, the mason built.

There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,

And metal wrought like fishes’ mail,

Buckler and corslet, axe and sword

And shining spears were laid in hoard.


 No.217

>>216

Unwearied then were Durin's folk;

Beneath the mountains music woke:

The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,

And at the gates the trumpets rang.

The world is grey, the mountains old,

The forge’s fire is ashen-cold;

No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:

The darkness dwells in Durin’s halls;

The shadow lies upon his tomb

In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.

But still the sunken stars appear

In dark and windless Mirrormere;

There lies his crown in water deep,

Till Durin wakes again from sleep.


 No.218

>>216

>>217

This is probably one of my favorite Tolkien related pieces.

The stanza that starts with "A king he was on carven throne" is brilliant.




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