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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. 

3 Trolls in 6 (Movie-verse)

by: The Grey Elf

#1
A stooped trio peered into a kettle
Wiped clean from licks many and spittle
“It’s empty,” observed tall one-ton
“So’s yer ‘ead” said Bert Sr.’s son
A grocery list indeed they must settle….

#2
Scabby carrion and pickled summer moss
Fungal goo drops, very pure, plus vermin dross
From rabid jaws, fresh squeezed slaver
For a blood sauce, marrow of cadaver
And gray mouse tails so they can thoroughly floss.

#3
“Me apron’s on, Tom, get yer to market”
“Kindlin’s cold, Bill, grab a flint and spark it”
“‘Where’s me purse?” cried simple Tom
Upon his face, Bert slaps a palm,
“T’were written out!” and clouts his slow target.

#4
By and by, Bill raised up from his latrine
“Did yer wash yer hands? Are they squeaky clean?”
“Did I wha’?” asked wafty Bill
“Good lad! Yer can have yer fill.”
See, Bert wasn’t all couth-less and mean.

#5
A fetid soup sat reeking before them
“Time fer grace,” Bert said, discharging some phlegm
“Give us gold, give us grog,
“Give us grub and a mad dog ” –
“Now fall in, lads, let us swill to the brim.”

#6
With bellies bulbous, three trolls digested
Their pastime was now closely contested
“Oi’d like a tale!”, “‘Oi’d like a smoke!!”
Tom piped, ” ‘ow ’bout karaōke!!!”
An all-out brawl proved what answer bested.

~~~~~

THE ELVES LAMENT

by: RangerLady23

[1st Age]

This land is beautiful
so untamed
so many lands
that have no names.
Trees to plant
and grass to grow
and other things
we’ll never know.
Songs to write
like none before
that shall be sung
forever more.
Birds and beasts
to fill the land
things to awaken
with a gentle hand.
Elven kind
so young and brave
have much to learn
but many days.
And so we danced
content with peace
knowing not
fear or grief.
The age’s end
was drawing near
we felt that good
was always here.
First age is past
and next begun
but two will be
as good as one.
Or so we thought
but we were wrong
our downfall’s sung
in many songs.

[2nd Age]

The Elves were blind
he tricked us all
and now we fear
the world shall fall.
What have we done?
Why did we trust?
His kindly words
have turned to dust.
His evil ways
were always set
and we have naught
except regret.
Seven rings
he has them all
nine for Men
obey his call.
The Elven three
are hidden well
and not an Elven
soul will tell.
The One is His
and His alone
One for the Dark Lord
on His Dark Throne.
Another age
is passing by
and very soon
the Elves will fly.
To the Havens
then set sail
and trees will die
that once were hale.
But ere we sail
to peace and calm
we’ll help the Men
to right our wrongs.

[3rd Age]

The One is lost
or so it seems
“It’s mine! “It’s mine!”
we hear him scream.
Searching near
and off away
it will return
to him one day.
Our days grow thin
our glory fades
our happiness
will pass away.
Lothlorien
and Rivendell
Mirkwood fair
but also fell.
All will pass
when we are gone
but be remembered
in our songs.
This age will fade
and fourth draw near
a King will come
in battle gear.
This age for Men
and not for Elves
we’ve saved the land
but not ourselves.
The Three are safe
and so we planned
their powers faded
from our hands.
we give our blessings
to mankind
and hope that they
will someday find.
The beauty of
this Middle-earth
the living things
and all their worth.
To the Havens
we go in haste
but do not weep
this is our fate.
So here at last
we say fare well
to Lorien
and Rivendell.

~~~~~

Son of Gondor

by: Shannon C

Son of the steward of the white city,
eldest of his father’s heirs
warrior and defender
protector of Gondor

Marshaling his garrisons
keeping Mordor’s onslaughts at bay
courage unequaled
strength to fend off the shadow

Mighty was he in strength and stature
tall and grim
the blood of Númenor ran in his veins
he bore a horn made from that of a wild ox

United with other free peoples of Middle-earth
on a quest to oppose the enemy
to hinder the ever-growing malice
he set out from the land of Imladris with eight others

Long and terrible their quest seemed
defeated by cruel Caradhras
the fall of Mithrandir in the Mines of Moria
the Orcs pursuing their company

Upon Amon Hen his will was corrupted
drawn by lust for the One Ring
seeking to use it’s power to protect the people of his city
thus it was that the Ring corrupted Boromir son of the lord Denethor

He endeavored to seize the Ring from the halfling Frodo
to snatch that which would give him power
he attempted to undo what the council at Imladris decided
he tried to take the Ring from the ring-bearer

His lust to save Minas Tirith was too great
and the Ring’s power made his lust grow
on Amon Hen he faltered
the halfling escaped his grasp

The revelation of his great mistake came ere the hour of his death
he could not find the halfling and was told to look after the halfling’s kinsmen, Meriadoc and Peregrin
upon the struggle to help the halflings, the enemy’s forces were on the move
they reached Amon Hen
they slew the mighty warrior

Upon the great ox horn he blew mightily
alas for he was not in the boundaries of his homeland,
no help came
he fended his companions as long as he could
but at last he fell
pierced with many arrows
wounded many a time
in a valiant attempt for redemption,
the great son of Gondor fell

His time in the world was ended
upon his death bed, he received redemption from Aragorn, one of his companions,
and thus did Boromir depart from Middle-earth

What Smaug might look like: A concept

By: Manuel Ferreira

I wanted to make an animation starring Smaug which harmonises between Peter Jackson’s films and my own imagination. But for that I needed references. Right now, we don’t have many, but the ones we have are enough for a concept – a concept that I wanted to share with you!

With The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug trailer, we got a clear picture of Smaug’s muzzle and eyes. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, we saw Smaug diving into Erebor’s treasure, and although we cannot see Smaug himself, we do see his horns covered in gold. Assuming that Smaug’s look won’t change between the films, we know that he has four horns in each side of his head and one spike in the middle. Joining the horns to the muzzle we saw in the trailer gives us an idea of what his entire head would be like. I drew them together but took some precautions: Smaug was diving so his horns got ‘’stretched’’ and blurry during the picture (after all, he was at movement) so I gave them a shape. For his neck, I simply followed the spikes assuming they’re in some sort of sequence.

For the side of his face, I did the same thing, only picturing the horns side on.

Another body part of Smaug that we clearly see is his tail. It’s visible when he breaks the gates of Erebor, and one feature that caught my attention was that the tail is forked.

There are almost no images of Smaug’s body, but we can (just) see the proportions of his wings, neck and tail with his head. Mixing that with elements of the common adaptations of Smaug with a realistic tone gives us a really cool dragon. As for the color, I personally think that he is a really dark red with purple/dark tone, and exposing the color of the trailer’s Smaug to daylight, my thoughts were confirmed. This is a concept of what we can expect for the next films, but I honestly hope that PJ’s Smaug, is way cooler than mine!

For my animation I added Benedict Cumberbatch’s voice to this Smaug. You can see it here:

About the Author

Hi, my name is Manuel Ferreira, I’m 13 years old and live in Portugal. I’m a recent Tolkien fan, and discovered Middle-Earth trough Peter Jackson last year. Since then, I’ve started to read J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy and basically became a die-hard fan. Middle-Earth is currently my inspiration for my draws and videos.

#1.Sustainable Woodland Home in West Wales

Simon Dale of Wales envisioned a sustainable woodland home in a hill on the countryside, which may be considered “cartoony” enough to match the small hobbit homes from the Lord of the Rings. The project is daring, highly practical and it only cost its owner £3,000 to build. A nice way to escape the hassle of monthly energy bills, wouldn’t you agree?

[Read More]

If you enjoy the work we do here at TheOneRing.net, and would like to see your Tolkien community keep on growing and growing, please consider making a pledge. Time is fast running out to join the Tale of Honour — there’s only a day or so left on our Pledge Drive!

There are some fabulous, exclusive pieces up for grabs – including some things which, usually, money can’t buy! Time is running out on some of our auctions too, so best check them out now. Here are just three that might tickle your fancy:

4-ALA “READ” Bookmarks OUT OF PRINT; LotR and Hobbit

In July 2001, the American Library Association (ALA), in association with New Line Cinema, offered three different Lord of the Rings Bookmarks and identical full-size posters in honour of J.R.R.Tolkien’s works and Peter Jackson’s films. This sale is for just the hard-to-find Bookmarks. They include Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) “Make It AHobbit”; Arwen Evenstar (Liv Tyler) “Fantasize New Worlds”; and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) “Discover Magic”. Also included in this Auction is the newest ALA tribute to Tolkien’s works and Jackson’s films The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) “Take An Unexpected Journey” released in November 2012.

The 3 Lord of the Rings Bookmarks are out of print and will not be re-issued per a 10-year copyright agreement; although Bilbo is still around Each Bookmark measures at 2″ x 6″ and is made of light card stock. One side has the picture as seen in this listing, and the other side is blank white.

LOTR and Hobbit Bookmarks Auction

Lord of the Rings Poster with Gandalf by Cauty

Gandalf and the Hobbits was created by J. Cauty in 1973 when he was 17 years old. This Lord of the Rings poster is iconic for the style of the 70s when Tolkien was fast becoming popular.  Size is 24″ x 36″

Lord of the Rings Poster with Gandalf by Cauty Auction

Sam and Frodo on Mt. Doom Return of the King movie poster

This is a moment in The Lord of the Ring: The Return of the King of the final struggle of Sam and Frodo climbing deadly Mt. Doom and Sam’s heroic action to try and save Frodo and the Quest of the Fellowship. His words are printed on the poster:

“Then let us be rid of it, once and for all! Come on, Mister Frodo. I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you! Come on!”

NEW — Quality of picture is because of camera flash and lighting — Size is 27″ x 40″

Sam and Frodo on Mt Doom Poster Auction

Members are eagerly watching the number of members at the top of the Message Boards as we inch closer and closer to our 10,000 member.  Membership is currently at 9,999, will you be number 10,000?

On the Main board this week, Ethel Duath continues to develop the fictional country of Tolkienia.

Whilst in the Reading Room, Rembrethil is leading us in discussing the Akallabeth.

On The Hobbit board Semper Fi is sharing their displeasure over the depiction of Bard the Bowman.

And in Off Topic Ethel Duath was shocked to discover she’d wandered onto Valinor.

We’ll share more topics next week. We hope you’ll come and join in the conversations!  Don’t forget, TheOneRing.net’s message boards has nearly 10,000 registered Tolkien fans, just like you.  Let your voice be heard!

If you like what we do, and would like to see your Tolkien community keep growing and growing, consider making a contribution to our Pledge Drive. Every bit helps defray our costs!

Parts of the company whiled away the afternoon, and into the evening played exciting table-top games, crafted by the logistic smiths of the mighty Cryptozoic. They shared the good tidings with any and all who sought to go on exciting adventures with Thorin and Company and recreate the glories of an Age long past.

However, a body can only take so much Cryptozoic-induced euphoria without fuel, so they packed-up and headed to dinner with fellow Ringers! If ever there was a setting like Bilbo’s pantry the night before an adventure this was it! They ate, drank, made merry, and sang the pantry song for all to hear.

Drums in the deep sounded from within the bowels of the inn, a calling from some unknown cavern. The Company set out to find the source. What they discovered was altogether unexpected. A vast hollow underneath the building opened to them, filled with the sound of laughter, the boisterous song of the peoples of Middle-earth making merry, irrespective of race, age, or creed.

Thranduil had shown up, adorned with strands of bio-luminescent moss and goggles that shutter the sun and shade the eyes. He danced like the Eldar of old, as if Ilúvatar himself were watching.

Dwarves had hewn this dance chamber, and dwarves dancing there were. From thumping their feet in time, to causing a howling ruckus. They even caused Thranduil to spill his wine, but such was the sense of camaraderie that, in an uncommon show of friendship, he laughed it off and called for more!

When the revelry was over, and the hobbits put to bed. The company, with their newly acquired friends, recalled fond memories of legends by playing a final table-play of Cryptozoic’s Hobbit before retiring.

Are there dark clouds on the horizon? Is there a chill in the wind foretelling a change in the weather? Find out in tomorrow’s installment of “Cryptozoic’s Lost Tales” on The Road to Dragon Con!

Doug Brochu.

If you like what we do, and would like to see your Tolkien community keep growing and growing, consider making a contribution to our Pledge Drive. Every bit helps defray our costs!

“We live in the northern part of Norway where it’s very windy and cold, so we wanted protection around the house where we could build fruit and vegetables,” Benjamin Hjertefølger told The Local. “We also wanted to build a house that’s good for living, with only natural materials and no poisonous, pre-made things.”

The house, called Naturhuset, or The Nature House, is a Hobbit-style cob house surrounded by 180 square metres of glass-covered gardens and terraces, where the couple plan to grow fruit such as oranges, tomatoes, squashes and green peppers.

On top of the house, the couple have built an under-glass terrace, where they can enjoy the midnight sun and stars, and do their yoga.

[Read More]

We have some fabulous, exclusive pieces up for grabs – including some things which, usually, money can’t buy! Here’s just three that might tickle your fancy:

TORn Collector’s Ed of The Hobbit Magazine signed by grammaboodawg

This is a new copy of TheOneRing.net’s premier magazine tribute toThe Hobbit! A collaborative effort between Topix Media Lab and your friends here at TheOneRing.net, it covers everything you need to know about The Hobbit movies from a fan perspective. Side-bars and feature articles, contributed by our own volunteer staff, include interviews, a feature on book vs. the movie, articles on games and collectibles, a Middle-earth timeline, and much more! The high-quality, glossy paper used for this magazine is also packed with colorful pictures of cast and crew members, locations, collectibles, gorgeous fan art and a few exclusives! One thing that makes this truly a collector’s edition is that there are only two ads in the entire 82-page magazine.

This copy’s article on the Middle-earth timeline is signed by its author, grammaboodawg. Based on TORn’s Today in Middle-earth posts in the TORn Discussion Boards, the 4-page colorful article highlights major events confronting both The Fellowship in The Lord of the Rings and Bilbo & Company in The Hobbit throughout the history of The One Ring.

TORn Collector’s Ed of The Hobbit Magazine signed by grammaboodawg Auction

NIB Exclusive LOTR PEZ gift set by Walmart featuring the Eye of Sauron

This limited edition Lord of the Rings Pez Gift Set comes with 8 themed dispensers and 12 rolls of candy. The dispensers are Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gollum.

LOTR PEZ Gift Set Auction

The People’s Guide to J. R. R. Tolkien by TheOneRing.net Staff (2003, pbk)

Author J.R.R. Tolkien created his mythical Middle-earth as the setting for his greatest works,”The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”. Director Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy has created an even greater awareness and curiosity about Tolkien’s creation.

This guide to J.R.R.Tolkien is an exploration of Tolkien’s world from the writers of the Tolkien fan website, TheOneRing.net. This volume includes new articles as well as familiar favourites from the website. The essays are grouped around themes such as defending fantasy literature from the accusation of triviality; why people become Tolkien “fans”; whether Tolkien’s notions of Good, Evil and Free Will are relevant to a changing world; the inspiration fans draw from his work; and the ideas from which Tolkien himself drew inspiration, both in his life and in his love of ancient literature and European myths. This volume also looks at the impact of the wildly popular cinematic version and answers the most common questions asked about Middle-earth.

The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien Auction

We have some fabulous, exclusive pieces up for grabs – including some things which, usually, money can’t buy! Here’s just three that might tickle your fancy: 

NIB Arwen Exclusive Edition Polystone Statue LotR by Sideshow

From the Sideshow Collectibles’ line of ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Elven princess Arwen Evenstar is statuesque in her road-weathered riding outfit. Introduced in 2011, this replica captures the heroic moment when she saves Frodo from the Black Riders. The detail is stunning in this individually painted and finished collector’s treasure. The Sideshow Exclusive version of the Arwen Polystone Statue includes a unique feature of an additional switch-out portrait with necklace for alternate display.

This item is BRAND NEW in the original manufacturer’s box with all the original accessories.

Arwen Statue Auction

Original artwork by Colleen Doran – Lord of the Rings-inspired print

A signed Remarqued drawing (it has an additional hand-drawn picture at the bottom) print of Colleen Doran’s “Hunting Orcs” pencil drawing that appeared in the Essential JRR Tolkien Sourcebook. It is #1 of 250 and comes with a 2004 Certificate of Authenticity. The print is 22 x 30 inches. Shipped unframed and rolled.

Original Colleen Doran Lord of the Rings Print Auction

Legolas cross-stitch/needlepoint Lord of the Rings hand-made

This needlepoint by Anna is a stunning design of Orlando Bloom as Legolas Greenleaf from a moment in The Lord of the Rings. The piece measures approx 8″ x 6″ and is professionally hand-stitched on black 18 count aida fabric. Perfect as a unique wallhanging, or it could be made into a designer pillow cover, or a distinctive totebag. Anna also designs and stitches needlepoint and cross-stitch kits on commission. Contact ahea1977 where she’s aol dot com

Legolas Cross Stitch Auction

Which is your favourite?  Tell us via disqus or share your thoughts on our Message Boards.