Celeborn, reflecting upon the Westward Journey
The fading sigh of sun does night embrace
Upon the fields there falls a gleaming veil
The sea of evenstars invite with grace
To paradise beyond the wind-sped sail.
The westward call falls haunting on my ears
Elusive bliss spur pains of joyless days
When earth itself ran so profuse with tears
And everywhere a fallen world ablaze.
But then the eastern sky does sweep aglow
Auroral rays of morning’s wordless hope
Memory stirs of dreams left long ago
Of mortal realms beyond Valinor’s scope.
For life springs new in deeps of land so scarred
And through me runs the song of Arda-Marred.
Note: for meter's sake, Valinor in line 12 is pronounced VA-Lee-nor (I think Elrond said it that way)
The Descent of Lord Denethor
The soft clean breath of morning does not rouse
The sun my scars ignoble cruelly bare
Renewed be earth by greening vibrant vows
My heart is barren; fellness whispers there.
My brother I killed upon the battle’s plain
Beloved I drowned in fiery ocean’s tears
While there I stood in carnage and the rain
There too I heard the cry of immortal fear.
Flee not from war, you fools, for flesh is clay
And death that cleaves thine heart thy spirit frees
But fear the hour when truths thy mind betray
And evil mates with virtue in foul disease.
For then is life of sin and madness bound
And atoning peace in flame’s release be found.
To Feanor
In you I loved a forgèd heart aflame
Of wounds and joys beyond the world’s conceit,
Yet guised be mind seared fell by bitter heat
And masked were thoughts to which no daylight came
In cryptic deeps where love walks without name.
Your craft, a throne of unfeeling wisdom’s seat
Your soul, a void where flames do cruelly beat.
E’en then was I a moth for the embers’ claim.
For who would wed and tarry for his chains,
That heard of fortune’s mesmerizing song;
Surrender for a lover’s fervent plea
The promised prize of triumphant campaigns?
Not you through whom ambition flows so strong
Where compassion has no place, there love must flee.
I've always felt for Nerandel, whose glorious husband is about all we know of her; but the poem is somewhat angsty, and less revealing than I'd hoped. ah well.
Faramir and Eowyn, fluff in meter.
The miseries of a fear-encrusted land
Are washed away by silent April’s rain
‘Pon cloudless heavens fades the shadow’s hand
In your eyes is sorrow’s mortal bane.
With you I may the eternal dark defy
And share of me what only night has known;
To laugh once more as terror passes by
Stand rooted firm though world be overthrown
So I shall ride with you through fields of dream
By steeds of hope be borne o’er roaring falls
The songs of Arda swell to a glorious theme
Of strength renewed that reigns in Marble halls.
Now laugh, my love, and see the war is won,
Come dwell with me in light of unending sun.