Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our regular monthly feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. Each month we will feature a small selection of the poems submitted, but we hope you will read all of the poems that we have received here in our Great Hall of Poets.
So come and join us by the hearth and enjoy!
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net
One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
An Elf Remembers, or Galadriel’s Lament: A Poem in Two Parts
by Mrs Adam C
The Light of Valinor
A silver light gleaming, stars mounting to the sky;
the darkness flew, the dawn gleamed dim, the sky filled with light.
There were Two Trees, far in the West, Two Trees without decay,
one silver-clad, one wreathed in gold, before they passed away.
In Valmar fair, the City Gold, the bells were rung at dawn,
and when the stars burned fiery-bright the Elves were dancing long.
Beneath the thrones of ivory, under the seats of stone
the Vanyar played their glitt’ring harps, and silver horns were blown.
O Valmar sweet! the roofs of gold, the doors of polished bronze
reflect the beauty of the Trees across the gloaming lawns.
Taniquetil the ever-white was glist’ning in the light
of those Two Trees in elder days before there came the night.
Atop the peak of that great mount was set a mansion white;
and on the roof of azure hue were spangled stars alight.
O Ilmarin! I used to gaze upon the lofty heights,
and ever from Oiolossë the eagles flew in flights.
The mountains tall, the Pelóri, they reached unto the sky,
and in that field of matchless blue the eagles strong did fly.
The swans of Ossë decked their prows, while on a field of blue
the seagulls mewed and cast their eyes down on peerless view.
O Valinor! the moon did rise and with the sun in train;
but till I can return to thee there is no rest for me.
The Darkening of Valinor
O! Oiolossë, the darkness falls, the eagles fly away,
and left am I, now here alone, on land unto the sea.
O Telperion, O Laurelin, your light has left my heart;
and never more shall I see thee, for you are lost from me.
Taniquetil gleams glitt’ring white, her shining peaks reveal;
and Valmar of the Valar is veiled in mourning, for the Trees of Light are dimmed.
No longer do the Vanyar play their glitt’ring harps at dawn;
No longer are the silver horns blown bright at loss of day.
O Valmar bright! the leaves of gold shine from dying Laurelin;
and all would see Telperion and silver light therein.
Where Fëanor the Fire-eyes with all his kindred dwelt
before bright Elven-Tirion the growing darkness felt.
O Tirion! Thy crystal stairs led up to fountains clear,
and there I ran in days of old to see the morn appear.
And in the West, there by the Sea, a city gemmed and pearled,
while in the harbour docked the ships whose banners were unfurled.
Alqualondë! thy beaches fair are spread with silver shells,
while on the Sea thy white ships sail upon the crystal swells.
In Avathar a darkness rose, a shadow woke from death,
and ere the sun had risen Valmar felt the haunted breath;
The Trees, they died, the light there fled, the wells were sucked up dry,
and then the shadow left that darkened land beneath the sky.
O Valinor! I hear again sweet Valmar’s golden bells,
and how I wish once more to fly across the shining swells.
The darkness veiled, the shadow down, the Trees were laid to rest;
yet I shall long forever for the silver shores again.
~~ * ~~
THE ROAD TRAVELLED
by Richard F
60 years have come and gone while I travelled paths laid out in parchment bound with leather,
Witnessed by sun and moon who lit my way;
So scarce could I believe that one day those who had contributed so much would appear,
Rising out of darkness to stand before me;
Whispers in the wind, the ringing of steel, voices rising in joy…in song…in anger…
and in sorrow;
So much to comprehend and yet here they were…
Smeagol who held my fear,
Gollum who bore my pain,
Gandalf who taught me wisdom,
Aragorn who gave me strength and courage,
and
Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin who taught me never to judge by appearance.
Those and so many more who influenced me, now lending those lessons to new generations.
Once more the door opens and the path beckons … leading them on to new adventures,
Oh how I envy them for the wonders they will see, and yet I hope they
never loose sight of the dreams and stories which made them who they are.
“Dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien”
“and the many whose lives have been influenced by his writings over the years!”
“Special Thanks to Peter Jackson”
“Well Done – A Compliment from the Heart”
~~ * ~~
The Song of the Skin-Changer
By Hali Ravenhammer
My skin is fur
My senses alive.
Many of us
Our species thrive.
Then fires came
And burned our lands.
We ran from our homes
Into enemy hands
Wolf and Bear
And Hawk and Fox
All of us caught,
Bound with iron locks.
From my prison, trapped.
Heckled, tormented.
While I watched them die
My kin, I lamented.
A proud race were we,
Reduced to dust.
Here, alone
My bonds start to rust.
One of the few
Weak and critically ill.
It’s my turn to fight
And my child I must kill.
He is so pale
And is going to die.
But holds his head up
And refuses to cry.
The changes takes it from him
All of his strength
And to him I run
But I’m stopped at arm’s length.
I cradle his head
My tears falling fast
Until his eyes close
And his soul is now passed.
They jeer and they laugh
Those who hold me
And in a blind rage,
I fight till I’m free.
Blood pours from my veins
As I run through the wild
All I can see
Is the dead face of my child.
On the brink of death
I can hear a voice
Soft as light
Giving me a choice.
To stay in my sorrows
In my ache and pain.
Or to break from cage
And my kin rise again.
I will avenge you
I promise my kin.
Until every captor is dead,
And our pride I will win.
Years ago there were many,
And now there is only one.
The weight in my heart is crushing.
Now, in the night my song is done.
~~ * ~~
Read all the poems submitted for December here.
Click here to read the complete collection in The Great Hall of Poets.
