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.

Ode to Elanor

By D.McGlinchey

Elanor, my star flower, my beautiful golden sun.
From lonely isles did your namesake travel to bring beauty and joy from afar.
Elf Child, though of Halfling kin, fair beauty of the Shire.
Your grace and wisdom outshines them all and your laughter a Dragon would halt.
Blessed with the grace of the Valar you glow.

Though hard was the road that led to your being,
I never faltered nor forsook the dreams I made.
I travelled there and back again to make true those distant dreams.
And I did.
With you Elanor.
My star flower.
My beautiful golden sun.

~ * ~

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.

Amazon Studios has announced the casting of ‘Young Gollum,’ voiced by renowned character actor and comedian Patton Oswalt. (YES – This was an April Fool’s Day Prank – 2021!)

Patton Oswalt Cast at Baby Gollum

With a celebrated ensemble cast already gathered for Amazon’s show, this latest release implies that Oswalt will voice a child-like Smeagol character. It goes without saying that a ‘Young Gollum’ did not exist in the initial intended scope of the show, nor in the scope of the rights purchased from the Tolkien Estate. The addition of a – dare we say it – ‘Baby Gollum’ appears to be a clear attempt to attract a broader and younger audience. The vast majority of us at TheOneRing.net are big fans of Oswalt – so we look forward to seeing where this goes!

AMAZON STUDIOS ANNOUNCES VOICE TALENT PATTON OSWALT FOR THE LORD OF THE RINGS TELEVISION SERIES

The Grammy(R), Emmy(R) and Vangard Award(R) Winner joins the Ensemble Cast to Lend His Vocal Talents to Young Gollum.

(CULVER CITY, Calif. – April 1st 2021) – Amazon Studios today announces Patton Oswalt will lend his voice talent as Gollum in the Amazon Original series based on the iconic ‘The Lord of the Rings’ novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. Patton will join the previously announced global cast and crew, currently filming in New Zealand.

“We are so excited to breathe new life to the early history of this immensely popular character,” said executive producer and showrunner [retracted name]. “When you delve into the struggle of Gollum, and his alter-ego Smeagol, a plethora of possibilities leaps out. It’s a tale which is crying out to be told.”

The character of Gollum first appears in J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’, with subsequent appearances in the War of the Ring saga of the Third Age of Middle-earth. Made popular by the Rankin/Bass production in the late 1970s, and then expertly brought to screen in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogies of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’, amazing adventures lie in store for the halfling-like creature, as his prequel stories unfold.

The character will originally be fully realized as a small child through the talents of WETA Digital, and given voice, (initially coos and caws), by the talented Oswalt.

“Its been a lifelong dream to work in the realm of J.R.R. Tolkien. I can’t wait to get started!” said Patton.

Set in Middle-earth, the Amazon television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’. A world-renowned literary work, and winner of the International Fantasy Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame Award, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ was named Amazon customers’ favorite book of the millennium in 1999, and Britain’s best-loved novel of all time in BBC’s ‘The Big Read’ in 2003. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ has been translated into around 40 languages, and has sold more than 150 million copies. Its theatrical adaptations from New Line Cinema and director Peter Jackson earned a combined gross of nearly $6 billion worldwide, and garnered 17 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture (‘The Return of the King’).

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.

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.

Hobbits, AWAKE!

by: David McGlinchey

AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!

The Horn Cry of Buckland is waking the town.
Ruffians are come to trouble the Shire,
Banging on doors and breaking them down!
Frightening the Women folk, enslaving the Men
Stealing and looting again and again!

AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!

The Shirriff’s are out at the sound of the cry
Gathering their forces with feather in cap.
Bounders from borders fleet footed they fly.
With the Horn Cry of Buckland sounding out clear and loud,
‘Hobbits of the Shire, time now to stand proud!’

AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!

A High Knight of Gondor, sent by the King.
With an Esquire of Rohan, silver horn at his side
Empowering the Shire folk in this ‘Battle of the Ring’
The Wars they have ended with the Dark Lord’s defeat
Now this battle of Bywater will make victory complete.

AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!

Sharkey the Boss man is not what he seems.
Destroying our homeland, blotting the land.
A shadow, a monster, invading our dreams!
He’s hiding at Bag End with his Ruffians in tow.
But the Hobbits are coming, he’s nowhere to go.

AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!

Beware of this Sharkey, don’t be fooled by his voice.
As up to Bag End marched the friends.
“Come out from your lair.
Make amends, make a choice.
The Shire’s seen enough of war, trouble and fear.
Leave now with your Ruffians, you are not wanted here!”

Awake Hobbits. .

       AWAKE!

~~ * ~~

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.

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.

Just deserts

By D. McGlinchey 

You would have screamed in agony.
As did your victims .
You would have clawed off your skin.
As you did to so many.
You would have cursed at the fates.
As the helpless cursed you.
And you would have struck blindly out.
As all doomed victims do.
But here you all stand now.
Forever enshrined.
As hard as your hearts!
And as cold as your mind.
No more in the shadows, your terror to spread.
No more will folk fear you, and quake in their bed.
The dawn it has claimed you.
Forfeit to those claimed.
And the sun’s touch has sealed you,
With your fury now tamed.
Three hunters all trapped by the prey they had caught.
And your screaming and writhing has aided you naught!
This was your ending, the old tales were true,
When the dawn took you all, and made statues of you!

~ * ~

Pernicious Palantir

By: Crystal Dawson

Eyes affixed to the orbed glass,
Denethor kept scrolling as Sauron was trolling,
poisoning his mind and twisting his heart
with a herald so fantastic how could it be false?

The Dark lord reckoned an end for all men
that was as evil as it was inevitable.
Fear seeped through the steward’s bones
bending his will and back.
Hunched he remained wherever he sat
and his eyes were oft a glaze.

Deep were his musings, cavernous and bleak
until all ends ceased in bitter despair.
Had his thoughts delved wider, he may have rekindled hope,
from alliances afar but not unforgot.

“Flee flee for your lives” he vehemently declared,
draining all hearts who heard, of hope: For what is the use?
Accept your fate and die in whatever way seems best to you.
For no change will come, no hope with dawn.
Only fearsome foe surround.

Against such might who could stand up and fight?
Best to give up your plight and fly.
You fools that march are madder than I,
rallying to your kin, waving your torn banners on high.

No rival races will unite. No prodigal sons return.
I have seen your future, bleak it remains,
empty and void of all light.
No aid will appear from sea or sky;
you will die in battle this night

The fallen Maia rose in power with each hopeful light put out.
Further still the Shadow reached.
No great king could stop his advance.
What council could ally against his fearsome countless horde?

Atop his solitary tower
the flame licked slit narrowed with a gleam and glower,
renewed was its eternal blaze.
For what power was left in Middle earth
that could divert his piercing gaze.

Perhaps none…
but the power of one,
with one, with another and another,
bound in friendship, bonded in love, blind to hate and bold in fear.
Faith to see an age that can be united by love of the good in this world,
that is worth fighting for.

~ * ~

Untitled

By: darkkrose

I pray thee, Tulkas, lend me strength and guide my sword with sharpness,
My time has come to join the fray, I need my heart be dauntless.
Don’t let me tire, falter, fail, don’t let my courage dwindle,
If I’m about to give up hope, the flame of hope rekindle.

And if by chance the Waiting Halls would open wide before me,
Great Námo, Keeper of my fate, have pity and restore me.
Don’t let me dwell too long a time in solitude and sadness,
Allow me walk under the Sun and feel again its warmness.

~ * ~

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.

Staffer Demosthenes returns from the wilderness, to consider what the plot of Amazon’s Middle-earth TV series might be…

Hello! It’s been a while!

However, the fine folk of TORn have defrosted me from cryogenic stasis just in time to offer a few thoughts on the recently announced synopsis for the forthcoming Amazomg(tm) Middle-earth series.

I’m going to cut straight to chase and simply start dissecting what I consider to be the guts of their statement. The implicit assumption is that the series is focusing on events of the Second Age. Given the content of the maps revealed by the production crew, I think we’re long past the time where that’s a controversial conclusion.

Amazon's map, showing the West of Middle-earth, and the island of Numenor.  What clues does it give us about the plot of Amazon's Middle-earth TV series?

But what does the rest mean? Given that the Second Age covers more than 3000 years, can we narrow down what time period the series may address?

Continue reading “Analysis: what can we deduce from the Amazon synopsis about the plot of the new Middle-earth series?”

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.

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.

Don’t disturb the water

By D.McGlinchey

Don’t disturb the water, it is best to leave It be.
For I fear there’s something hid within its quiet serenity.
Don’t disturb the water, come away now we must go.
I know the calmness of the top can hide turbulence below.
Don’t disturb the water, something’s watching as we go.
Hasten now from the waters edge ere it drags us down below.

~~ * ~~

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.