{"id":92561,"date":"2014-09-03T01:48:51","date_gmt":"2014-09-03T06:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=92561"},"modified":"2014-09-03T01:48:51","modified_gmt":"2014-09-03T06:48:51","slug":"the-great-hall-of-poets-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2014\/09\/03\/92561-the-great-hall-of-poets-13\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Hall of Poets"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AragornReading_Rev\"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\u00a0Great Hall of Poets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So come and join us by the hearth and enjoy!<\/p>\n

If you have a Tolkien\/Middle-earth inspired poem you\u2019d like to share, then send it to\u00a0poetry@theonering.net<\/a><\/em>
\nOne 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Lay of Eowyn<\/h4>\n

By William Diehl<\/em><\/p>\n

Now, hear the Lay of Eowyn,
\nA shield-maiden of yore,
\nWho lived her life in fealty
\nAnd loyalty, and war.<\/p>\n

In Meduseld, King Theoden
\nHad no daughter of his own,
\nSo he bade his sister\u2019s child live
\nWith him in his great home.<\/p>\n

A lovely maiden of golden hair
\nKnown all across the Mark,
\nBut a shield-maiden must prove herself
\nAt the coming of the Dark.<\/p>\n

It happened many years ago
\nBefore our age had come.
\nEvil fell upon the Rohirrim
\nAnd no more songs were sung.<\/p>\n

Across the fields of Rohan
\nAnd the grasses of the Wold,
\nInvaders from a far-off land
\nRode fearlessly and bold.<\/p>\n

Though Theoden was wizened,
\nHe bore a majesty of old.
\nHe sent the mighty Eorlingas
\nTo East and Western Folds.<\/p>\n

Upon the west the invaders crept,
\nThe orcs of an evil lord,
\nWhere Theodred, son of Theoden
\nMet doom by a goblin-sword.<\/p>\n

To Theoden, King of Rohan, this news
\nDealt a mighty blow.
\nBy evil counsel Theoden was
\nConvinced that he was old.<\/p>\n

But from the North came a mighty sword,
\nThe blade of Anduril.
\nThe lost king of the western lands
\nHad come in times of ill.<\/p>\n

This proud man\u2019s name was Aragorn,
\nSon of Arathorn by birth.
\nHis grand arrival in Meduseld
\nBrought happiness and mirth.<\/p>\n

He approached the lofty dais
\nWhere Theoden was set,
\nAnd suddenly he saw Eowyn
\nWho smiled when they met.<\/p>\n

A finer warrior she had never seen,
\nThis man of jet-black hair,
\nHis face was proud of bearing
\nThough his hands showed signs of wear.<\/p>\n

And he beheld a shield-maiden –
\nSo lovely yet so stern,
\nA woman of strength and beauty
\nFor which any man would yearn.<\/p>\n

Then Theoden and Aragorn rode
\nTo battle in the West,
\nLeaving Eowyn to think of them and
\nManage Meduseld her best.<\/p>\n

Across the grass of Rohan came
\nTidings of victory!
\nNow, the mighty warrior Aragorn
\nWould come for her to see.<\/p>\n

For many days she waited until
\nFinally, he returned.
\nShe was overjoyed to see him
\nBut shocked with what she learned.<\/p>\n

He announced that in the morning he
\nWould go upon his way,
\nLeaving lonely, anguished Eowyn
\nIn Meduseld to stay.<\/p>\n

She begged to come with Aragorn
\nAs he rode away to war.
\nBut Aragorn would have her not
\nAnd rode out from the door.<\/p>\n

Soon Theoden, the King, returned;
\nA battle he had won.
\nBut preparations were underway,
\nFor war had just begun!<\/p>\n

A muster of the countrymen
\nPrepared to travel east,
\nBut Eowyn was to be left behind
\nTo guard their hall of feast.<\/p>\n

A night passed in unhappiness,
\nNo comfort from the moon.
\nIndeed no morning ever came,
\nOnly the Dark of Doom.<\/p>\n

But Eowyn was resolute,
\nShe the King did not obey.
\nWith mail corslet and silver sword
\nAmong the men she made her way.<\/p>\n

With the Eored of the King she rode
\nThrough many perilous days,
\nYet though she knew the danger
\nShe would still not turn away.<\/p>\n

At last the mighty Rohirrim
\nCame to the battle-ground.
\nAnd Theoden of the Riddermark
\nLed a charge of great renown.<\/p>\n

Through countless ranks of enemy
\nHis proud horse, Snowmane, flew.
\nTheir banner he hewed to the ground,
\nTheir leader Theoden slew.<\/p>\n

The Rohirrim had changed the tide
\nOf battle on that day.
\nThe fearful Darkness on the land
\nBegan to go away.<\/p>\n

But suddenly there was horror
\nAs men looked toward the sky.
\nFor they heard a screech of terror
\nAnd saw a shadow flying high.<\/p>\n

Alas, the King of Darkness on a
\nFell-winged steed had come,
\nSo Snowmane reared with terror
\nDumping Theoden to the ground.<\/p>\n

Poor Theoden\u2019s days were over as he
\nWas pinned beneath his steed,
\nWith the ever-nearing evil wraith
\nContemplating wicked deeds.<\/p>\n

But Eowyn had observed the King
\nAs doom upon him fell,
\nAnd the shield-maiden began the deed of which
\nMany tales would tell.<\/p>\n

The evil wraith approached the King
\nTo desecrate the dead.
\nAlthough the men were paralyzed
\nThis maiden felt no dread.<\/p>\n

Defying the dark she leaped from her horse,
\nRunning to her liege\u2019s side.
\nThe fierceness of the shield-maiden
\nMade men\u2019s eyes open wide.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome not between the Nazgul and his
\nPrey,\u201d the Ringwraith said,
\n\u201cOr he shall take thee to his land
\nWhere thou wouldst wish for death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDost thou not know the prophecy,
\nNo man may hinder me!\u201d
\nThese evil words of terror made
\nMen loath to watch and see.<\/p>\n

\u201cThou dost not look upon a man
\nBut a woman of the Mark!\u201d
\nAnd as she threw her helmet down
\nHer hair lit up the dark.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe gone, foul dwimmerlaik,\u201d she said,
\n\u201cYou stand before my kin,
\nFor living or evil dark undead I
\nWill smite thee if I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

So firm a challenge her had not had
\nIn this age of the land.
\nHe charged the shield-maiden, a
\nGreat mace in his hand.<\/p>\n

He, with a screech, the mace let fall,
\nIt broke her shield arm.
\nBut suddenly with a cry of pain
\nHe wheeled in alarm.<\/p>\n

A Halfling, holbytla, had travelled
\nFrom a far-off land to war,
\nAnd seeing the peril of Eowyn
\nHad come to lend his sword.<\/p>\n

As the Nazgul stood above Eowyn,
\nHis mace raised in the air,
\nThe Halfling\u2019s sword thrust in his leg
\nAnd a howl went through the air.<\/p>\n

The Ringwraith stumbled backward, now
\nHelplessly in pain,
\nFor now the labors of Eowyn had
\nNot all been in vain.<\/p>\n

Her sword she raised above his head,
\nThough none could see his flesh,
\nAnd driving her sword into his face
\nThere came the howl of death.<\/p>\n

The sword splintered and fragmented,
\nEowyn fell to the ground.
\nThe black breath was upon her
\nAnd she lay without a sound.<\/p>\n

She was borne with honor from the
\nField to the Tower of the Guard,
\nWhere rested she among the slain
\nOf countless soldiers hard.<\/p>\n

But ho! The mighty Aragorn to his
\nKingdom had returned.
\nHe won the battle on the field whence
\nOf Eowyn he heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hands of a King are healing hands,\u201d
\nSaid Ioreth the Old,
\nAnd Aragorn, the long lost King,
\nKnew healing arts of old.<\/p>\n

He saved the valiant Eowyn
\nAnd left her to grow strong.
\nFor he had still a war to fight
\nAnd soon he hurried on.<\/p>\n

As Eowyn recovered, she
\nLonged for battle still;
\nA shield-maiden must prove herself
\nIn times of dark and ill.<\/p>\n

She met a young man, Faramir,
\nThe ruler of the Tower.
\nFor he too had been nearly killed
\nIn Gondor\u2019s darkest hour.<\/p>\n

For Faramir this shield-maiden
\nWas a pleasant sight indeed,
\nAnd soon he fell in love with her
\nThough him she did not see.<\/p>\n

Her heart on another man was set,
\nThat ranger of the North.
\nShe longed for news of battle
\nAs the messengers rode forth.<\/p>\n

But now the tidings darkened,
\nTurning new hope to despair.
\nAnd Faramir and Eowyn
\nTogether began to fare.<\/p>\n

The two proud warriors fell in love
\nUpon the Tower of the Sun.
\nAnd suddenly the tidings came that
\nThe final war was won!<\/p>\n

As all the western lands rejoiced with
\nHard-earned victory,
\nThe shield-maiden made it known that
\nFaramir\u2019s wife she\u2019d be.<\/p>\n

The two were joined in happiness
\nAs all the world rejoiced,
\nWhile all the blessings of Gondor and
\nThe Rohirrim were voiced.<\/p>\n

The two dwelled in Ithilien,
\nLand of eternal spring.
\nThe two lived ever in happiness
\nWhere birds and minstrels sing.<\/p>\n

Oh, here is come the end of the
\nLay of Eowyn-
\nThe shield-maiden of the Mark; the
\nPrincess of Ithilien.<\/p>\n

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

The Fellowship<\/h4>\n

By: Olivia B<\/em><\/p>\n

Legolas:
\nI shall came back in spring
\nwhen gold leaves fall from trees.
\nI shall come sit by the river
\nand dream of the seas.<\/p>\n

Gimli:
\nI will come back to the mountain,
\nand look upon brethren who died.
\nThen I will dig down in the dark
\nfor the true silver metal hide.<\/p>\n

Boromir:
\nI will never come back home,
\nbut my soul shall go to the hall
\nof my father’s kindred history,
\nnow hear my horn’s last call.<\/p>\n

Aragorn:
\nI must win my crown back by right,
\nand correct my ancestor’s bane.
\nI have used the sword that was broken,
\nto start the dominion of man’s reign.<\/p>\n

Gandalf:
\nI will go back now across the seas,
\nfor my work to bring peace here is done.
\nI have used magic, wisdom, and fireworks
\nso the hobbits can keep having fun.<\/p>\n

Frodo:
\nI shall come back in summertime,
\nto my hole ‘neath the hill with round door.
\nI have saved my lovely Shire land,
\nbut my calling is to a distant seashore.<\/p>\n

Sam:
\nI came back to the lover I left,
\nto my garden and hedge’s home.
\nI have been the most faithful companion,
\nbut my heart wants a hole to roam.<\/p>\n

Pippin:
\nI came back from battles with plenty,
\nand served as a white tree guard man.
\nI left my home as a fool, but lo
\nI returned a great soldier of the land.<\/p>\n

Merry:
\nI shall come back a new, wiser hobbit,
\nfor I saw war but pain did not stop me.
\nI fought with horse lords in a great battle,
\nand saw sights I never thought I’d see.<\/p>\n

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

Arwen’s Song<\/h4>\n

By Elessar’s Queen<\/em><\/p>\n

We met at dusk in Imladris wood;
\nHe called, “Tin\u00faviel!”
\nAs Beren called in years long past,
\nFar west of Rivendell.<\/p>\n

In L\u00f3rien of singing gold
\nWe met at length once more;
\nI plighted troth to Arathorn’s son
\nOn Amroth’s hill of lore.
\nI turned away from Elven-home
\nAnd gave to him my love;
\nImmortal life I rejected then
\nAnd naught could my heart move.<\/p>\n

Estel went far a-journeying
\nTill war inevitable came.
\nThrough Eru’s grace Ring passed away,
\nThe Shadow fell in shame.
\nIn City of Kings our hands were joined
\nAt midsummer of year;
\nAnd though he’d kingdom, wealth, and power,
\n‘Twas me he held most dear.
\nBut at long last his years were spent;
\nHe lay in Silent Street
\nAs still and cold as hardest stone.
\nOur son took Estel’s seat.<\/p>\n

I chose to bear the Doom of Men
\nThat day so long ago;
\nI now must bear the Doom of Men,
\nWould I or would I no.
\nI’ll not be conquered at last test \u2013
\nI who renounced the Foe.
\nThere’s life past death, His gift to Men,
\nRelief from bitter load.<\/p>\n

My mortal love, I grieve for you
\nBeneath these fading trees
\nOf what was once fair L\u00f3rien,
\nForsaken for the seas.
\nI too now lay me down to sleep
\nUpon this hill of ours,
\nTo lie, perchance, forevermore
\nIn nature’s golden bower.<\/p>\n

O Elbereth Gilthoniel,
\nYour daughter Arwen sleeps.
\nO Eru, take me to Your land
\nBeyond the Sundered Seas.<\/p>\n

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

Read all the poems submitted for August here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Click here to read the complete collection in The Great Hall of Poets.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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