{"id":100185,"date":"2016-01-29T00:10:07","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T05:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?page_id=100185"},"modified":"2016-01-30T00:02:45","modified_gmt":"2016-01-30T05:02:45","slug":"the-great-hall-of-poets-january-2016","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/the-great-hall-of-poets\/the-great-hall-of-poets-january-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Hall of Poets – January 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Grand Tales of Middle-Earth<\/strong><\/h3>\n

by L. Lybarger<\/em><\/p>\n

In times past, journeys unexpected unraveled
\nand a curious company of folk traveled
\nacross the lands, in the face of ruination
\nto reclaim their home once plagued with desolation.
\nA battle, there was, great clashing forces
\nfire and death was seen, but the weary travelers held their course.
\nA great dragon, Smaug, was slain, unexpectedly by a mere human,
\nand a clash of forces ensued amongst many lusting for treasure, honor-dooming.
\nThe dying king under the mountain sought to repent
\nand his remaining riches thereafter were well spent,
\ngifted to the brave, so as to gesture apology to all those he caused pain;
\nand so ends the tale of Thorin, grandson of Thror, son of Thrain.<\/p>\n

There were many meetings, and many a friend made,
\nbut then to rest, those times were laid.
\nO’er lands a new fellowship traversed, a group unusually diverse
\nand though in times past they had qualms, at journey’s end their company dispersed.
\nFor every last goodbye was said,
\nand reminiscent tears were shed,
\nin remembrance of those unexpected heroes who smote down the evils of old,
\nand made way for the new world, for all to behold.
\nThe corrupt one, blemishing the goodwill of the throne, the steward,
\nupon the battlements of Minas Tirith was skewered.
\nSince that day, no person had to stoop; nay, save before the hobbit saviors,
\nthose who laid their lives over the course of those many long years
\nso that the lords of the two towers would be brought low,
\nand that the return of the king to his rightful throne be made known.
\nCommit to memory the story of how the hobbits delved
\ndeep into the Misty Mountains, Cirith Ungol, and the forest Fangorn, home of ent and elves.
\nNe’er forget the resounding sorrowful cries, at the untimely fate of Gandalf
\nas he fought up winding stairs, Glamdring scoring Durin’s Bane with devastating aftermath.
\nLest we forget the horrors of Saruman as he sought to abuse the powers of the Palant\u00edr
\nand slowly fell to corruption from Sauron’s power, however sheer.
\nRemember the valiant mustering and ride of the Rohirrim,
\nanswering to the call of the king whose mind, by Gandalf, was made sane again.
\nThink fondly of the valiance of Aragorn,
\ndescendant of the line of the throne, who under And\u00faril, united the armies of Gondor.
\nRecall the treachery of the giant spiders, spawn of Ungoliant, that our dear hobbits sparred,
\nand of the ancient marshes who, by the War of the Ring, were marred.
\nRemember the shear horror wrought upon all by minions of Minas Morgul
\nand the shrieks of the wretched Nazg\u00fbl, of their fell beasts, so very cruel.
\nSavor the memory of the glorious ride of Gandalf the White, no longer gray<\/p>\n

as he and the company of heroes charged forth into battle, swords gleaming bright as day,
\naccompanied by cries of “DEATH!!!, DEATH!!!, DEATH!!!”,
\nand bless that few that day expired in vain, nor wasted their breath.
\nFor Frodo, so very small
\nwhose wound from Weathertop could not be borne at all,
\nwas carried by Sam Gamgee up Mount Doom.
\nThink fondly of Frodo, a hero with a heart of hearts, whom,
\nalongside Master Gamgee, played a glorious part
\nin ruining Sauron’s devious plans, triumphantly thwarted.
\nI will not say “Do not weep”, for not all tears are an evil
\nespecially those wept for lives of heroes spent in the wake of darkness’ upheaval.
\nShed them as you think back to Sam’s cry of “I can’t carry it for you, but I CAN CARRY YOU!”,
\nto the place where the raging fire ever-grew.
\nGollum stole the ring, clinging to Frodo’s back,
\nbut still the One Ring to rule them all would be cast into the great fiery Crack.
\nYou may not know that greater powers were at play
\nfor no mere mistake sent Sm\u00e9agol, or rather, the insipid Gollum, into fire, hot as day.
\nYes, indeed, some believe Eru Il\u00favatar was the source of his fate,
\nthe deity of great power to who all praise should have been made.<\/p>\n

Forgo your regret, stay your sorrow, for the journey has yet to end,
\nand say to thyself “Hark, my heart, you need only time to mend”.
\nRemember, friends, to all whose time has passed,
\nin the far western lands of Middle-Earth, beyond even the Shire, time moves ever fast;
\nin a land where white shores, and beyond, host a far-green country under a swift sunrise…
\nall of this, one great paradise…
\nRealize that the journey doesn’t end here….
\nDeath is just another path, one all must take, and for some it is very near….
\nThe grey rain-curtain of the world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it…
\nAll of your dearest friends, faces alit,
\nbeneath the party tree in the Shire they sit,
\nenjoying a pipe, sharing a pint with Mr. Tolkien himself, where all worries and troubles are quit.<\/p>\n

~~ * ~~<\/p>\n

Frodo’s Quest<\/strong><\/h3>\n

by: Anonymous<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, Bilbo Baggins once did tell
\n’bout his adventures (he told them well)
\nWent many places\u2014Rivendell!
\nMany places that he visited.<\/p>\n

He wrote of swords and elven kings
\nOf fire-drakes and magic rings
\nAnd many, many other things
\nThat he once had seen.<\/p>\n

But quite a while later, in a land called Shire
\nThere was another little hobbit that we all admire.<\/p>\n

Bilbo’s nephew, his name was Frodo B.
\nHe lived with Bilbo in a hole (as you can plainly see).<\/p>\n

He had interest in adventures (not much at all like his kin)
\nAnd he had a friend named Fatty (yes, who was not very thin).
\nOn his and Bilbo’s birthday, they had a celebration
\nAnd ev’ryone from miles came\u2014the whole wide Shire nation!<\/p>\n

Gandalf, the wizard, came to help with the long-expected party
\nFireworks were brought by him\u2014he was feeling rather jolly.<\/p>\n

Bilbo knew it was time to leave, and so slipped on his ring
\nGandalf didn’t disapprove but hid the use of bling.<\/p>\n

When B. departed, his baggish home was left to one certain Frodo
\nAnd Frodo learned, because his ring, though he was loathe to go
\nHe must depart for Rivendell as Uncle did before
\nTo bear the object through anything including peace and war\/<\/p>\n

He took three friends, and their nicknames were Sam, Pippin, Merry
\nThey set off to visit the Elves, to the homely house in the valley.<\/p>\n

Through a forest, stuck in a tree
\nOld Tom saved them, yes, Tom, and he
\nwas the master of that old wood
\nHe cared for the hobbits, as he should<\/p>\n

Swords, they gained, from Barrow-wights
\nAnd after just a few long nights
\nThey arrived at the village of Bree.<\/p>\n

The Prancing Pony the hobbits sought
\nGandalf said, Mr. Frodo thought
\nLord Aragorn inside they met
\nAnd the bartender wasn’t roasted yet<\/p>\n

Aragorn (they called him Strider)
\nled hobbits through the fields and mire
\nAnd made their camp at Weathertop
\nThough afterwards they thought it glop
\n‘Cause Frodo’s shoulder there was stabbed.
\nThe Witch-king’s Morgul Blade it jabbed.
\nFrodo was hurt, he almost died;
\nSam and the others almost cried.<\/p>\n

Finally they arrived at Rivendell
\nAnd after being put through hell
\nThey, for once, got to rest well
\nAnd forget about their troubles.<\/p>\n

People came from many places
\nAnd they were all of diverse races.
\nHobbits, elves, dwarves, men
\nThey most certainly were not kin.
\nThey held a council, very slow
\nIt took fore’er for them to go.
\nWhen they finished, the final count
\nWas nine companions to see it out.
\nThey’d take the Ring to Mordor
\nand destroy that ring (this time for sure).
\nSauron then would not survive
\nAnd the free-peoples would revive.<\/p>\n

Through the Pass of Caradhras they left to go
\nBut were blocked by a lot of snow.
\nCaradhras brushed them away like a bug on his knee
\nSo they chose to instead take an underground journey.<\/p>\n

In that excursion they lost one of their members,
\nGandalf the Wizard died from more than just embers.
\nA Balrog it’s called, a great fire-demon;
\nGandalf fell fighting, his Glam-sword a-gleaming.
\nThe remaining Co. ran to Lothl\u00f3rien
\nThey stayed for a while, just mourning-in.
\nThey left, with great gifts, down the Anduin they went
\nThey found lots of water and gifts Saruman sent.<\/p>\n

These aforementioned gifts just happened to be
\nThe fighting Uruk-hai\u2014more than two eyes could see!
\nThe Fellowship was split and Boromir was slain
\nFrodo, he left, feeling much pain.<\/p>\n

Sam and he departed, set out for the Black Land
\nThe will of the Ring often was hard to stand
\nThe hobbits, eventually, ran into Sm\u00e9agol,
\nA disgusting ex-hobbit who killed his friend D\u00e9agol.
\nHis lust for the Ring was so very strong,
\nHe spent his years searching for it, all the day long.
\nFrodo Baggins, a brave little hobbit, convinced him
\nTo take them to wher’er he asked ‘im.
\nSm\u00e9agol (Gollum) led them to a million mile-long wall
\nThat didn’t work; they tried Cirith Ungol.
\nWhile Gollum told them, he inwardly chuckled with glee:
\n“First the Straight Stair, then the Winding Stair, then we’ll see.”<\/p>\n

The “we’ll see”, hobbits learned, was a rather large spider,
\nShe didn’t yet know that ol’ Sam was a fighter.
\nShe stung Mr Frodo, Sam returned the attack.
\nA Elbereth, Gilthoniel! was what he yelled back.
\nHe saved Mr Frodo, and onward they went,
\nThey kept moving forward though their energy spent.
\nOn the slopes of Mount Doom Gollum returned;
\nWant for the Ring was energy never burned.
\nSam fought him off while Frodo went on;
\nTheir last bit of strength was just about gone.
\nFrodo stood at the Crack, the Ring in his hand
\n“This ring is mine!” is just what he said.
\nHe slipped it on and then disappeared
\nGollum fought him, all without fear.<\/p>\n

Gollum bit off Frodo’s finger and fell into the lava
\n“My precious!” he screamed. “I want my mama!”
\nSamwise and Frodo greatly missed the Shire
\nThey sat there and watched as the Ring died in fire<\/p>\n

Eagles came in, found them right where they lay
\n“I am glad to see you guys,” said Gandalf the Grey.
\nBut grey he was not! Gandalf had come back!
\nHis color was changed; Saruman out of whack.<\/p>\n

Sam and Frodo went home, back to Hobbiton.
\nMy adventures, thought Sam, have only begun.
\nMy wounds are too deep, Sam. I can’t live with this sun.
\nFrodo left his friends for the Havens.
\nThe others simply met all their cravings
\nThey still had hope, and a long life to live.
\nSo they had to learn not to forget but forgive
\nFrodo leaving them. He had a rough adventure.<\/p>\n

~~* ~~<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Grand Tales of Middle-Earth by L. Lybarger In times past, journeys unexpected unraveled and a curious company…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":0,"parent":80298,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-100185","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P1tLoH-q3T","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/100185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100185"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/100185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100207,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/100185\/revisions\/100207"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}