Jewel of the Hunt A Terzanelle for Faramir

You drew your hand back, and your arrow flew
And I was brought down by the shaft’s sweet flight -
But what you’d done to me, you never knew.

I saw the feathered dart, I felt the bite.
I turned to meet your eye, my heart your prey
And I was brought down by the shaft’s sweet flight

I watched my old life slowly bleed away
And found to my surprise that I was free.
I turned to meet your eye, my heart your prey

I marveled at the gift you’d given me.
I knew that we could face the dark together
And found to my surprise that I was free.

I stroked the softness of the arrow's feather -
The sharp steel of your grey eyes pierced my heart
And knew that we could face the dark together.

I only thought of sorrow at the start.
You drew your hand back, and your arrow flew
The sharp steel of your grey eyes pierced my heart
But what you’d done to me, you never knew.

*******

Notes: Though Faramir’s name is usually translated to mean sufficient or adequate jewel, (which may say a lot about his parents), from the Sindarin word far, it should also be possible to translate it using the word faroth or hunt. It is a stretch, but a small stretch and it seems to me a lover worth having would want to put the best possible interpretation forward…

The ring of metal being drawn is music to Thengel's ears…

Sea-deep eyes, skin swan-feather white

cascading mantle of midnight

To my sight, in steel and shield

the forge still flickered. Draw the blade-

I hear the metal’s serenade

Unafraid, unsheathed, revealed

*******

notes:

This is a Cywydd Llosgyrnog for Morwen Steelsheen. It was the word Llosgyrnog that started me thinking about Morwen of Lossarnach. Finding that she had been born in Belfalas gave me the black and white image.

The sun rides low in winter’s sky
I watch the withered leaves blow by
But spring still blooms beside my door
With golden stars of elanor

The Lady sent them from her land
Your father planted each by hand
To cleanse the Shire of pain and war
With golden stars of elanor

Each golden heart conceals a dream
A captured sun, a brightest beam
Hope dwells inside our hearts secure
With golden stars of elanor

Still brighter is my girl of gold
The light my hands delight to hold
I fear no frost – and I adore
The golden heart of Elanor.

*******

She came from a literate lineage, and became the keeper of The Red Book - she would not have taken for her own a man who could not write her at least one verse… a kyrielle, from Fastred to Elanor.

two triolets for fur

Your fur as dark as sorcery
Your eyes as green as poison
You show your secret heart to me
Your fur as dark as sorcery
As deep as death and twice as free
My secret, silent loved one
Your fur as dark as sorcery
Your eyes as green as poison

***

The black cats watch with hungry eyes
The white cat makes no sound
A Queen depends on silent spies
The black cats watch with hungry eyes
As soft as sighs, as hard as lies
As cold as underground
The black cats watch with hungry eyes
The white cat makes no sound

Unquenchable / Lothíriel

Your horses were white; as you rode to me
the waves of the sea kissed your skin
you were fair as any maid could be
Your horses were white, and you rode to me,
but it was your spirit that I could see
the unquenchable fire within…
Your horses were white; as you rode to me,
the waves of the sea kissed your skin

***

Astride / Éomer

I did not mean to leave my home
till I saw you astride
My heart leapt in Dol Amroth’s foam
I did not mean to leave my home
But though I have no urge to roam
my home is at your side…
I did not mean to leave my home
till I saw you astride

*******

Notes: I have been playing for some time with the idea of Éomer seeing Lothíriel riding the white horses of the curling waves… but until I get that story to behave, I offer this pair of triolets about a pair of unquenchable lovers – for Starlight

I want a man with steel to be my lord
So offer not just flowers or soft words
Show me instead the strength you can impart
And I will offer you my willing heart
And be the supple sheath that guards your sword
I want a man with steel

So blend your song with mine, a perfect chord
And you will find love is its own reward
And I am quite accomplished in the art…
I want a man with steel

Have you the strength to make me feel adored?
I am no quiet dream be ignored
I long for nights entwined, not days apart -
To run in forest glen like hind and hart
Give me strong sons to be my treasure hoard
I want a man with steel

*******
Notes: This is a very very speculative piece, written to explore an alternate view. There is no real information about Finduilas, except that she was young. But she was the daughter of Knights, and I imagine she may have had some very specific desires of her own. I do not mean it to deal only with the physical - when she says she is accomplished in the art, she means the art of Love - in all it's guises.

Did Faramir put that robe of Dol Amroth blue on Eowyn because he could see his mother’s reflection in the white lady? Perhaps young Finduilas was the Shieldmaiden of Dol Amroth… perhaps she was in every way a match for Denethor’s desires when he was still at his best.