Lockbearer & Galadriel's Message - for Gimli
Then in contentment, my searching done;
My final tale told in full, my wandering at an end,
I could recline this aged head to
Rest. In peace I could at last lay down,
And breathe out my last breath
With my Lady's name upon my lips.
Again from the Appendices as we draw the adventure to a close: an aged Gimli sets sail with Legolas, Galadriel's lock still set within its crystal. I'm tagging this with 'romance' only in the sense that it is a matter of the heart. With it I am including Galadriel's Message, which takes her message to him and uses each word to guide a full poem.
Lockbearer
Lockbearer, where have you gone?
Over the seas, the wide seas to find you,
Where the sun and the moon's slow dance
Leaves their glimmerings on the ocean waves
In pale imitation of your tresses.
Over the seas, I seek you;
Soft pearls of foam cascade about our craft,
Jewels that perish as quick as thought -
But imperishable was your gift to me.
I have set it in crystal, laced with sweetest gold:
These few strands of light; this remembrance.
So small a portion of your beauty fair;
Like clear gemstones whose surface captures flame,
To scatter their fire-gold about a warm, dark room.
Glinting of eternities of long golden afternoons,
Contemplative and serene as waters full of stars,
Brushed by the lips of gentle winds in waiting
Beneath an ebony and diamond canopy of sky;
A shine only to be found in tear-filled eyes
Beholding their beloved after heart-long ages apart.
Lockbearer, why do you seek me?
I am heart-full of aching memories,
And my years are reaching their end.
There was a day your eyes looked into my mind,
And what you beheld there you never spoke.
My artist's wonder filled and overflowed
As you granted the desire of my heart.
These few strands you entrusted to me
I would safely return to the fair enclosure of your hands,
Lest others take them up after my days are ended
And with arrogance, bear them in dishonor;
Those who never knew you, or looked upon your face.
I would rather risk it being lost to the sea,
Taken down to some deep and silent chamber
Where no hands would touch nor eyes behold.
Yes, I would place this dearest treasure back
Into the white hands that first bestowed it,
Lest I be counted faithless in what was given.
In gratitude for the sweetness this gift added to my years,
I would lay it down before you.
Then in contentment, my searching done;
My final tale told in full, my wandering at an end,
I could recline this aged head to
Rest. In peace I could at last lay down,
And breathe out my last breath
With my Lady's name upon my lips.
-
Galadriel's Message
To one who has traveled far,
Gimli of the Dwarves, under the wood where no
Son of the earth has trod for many a year,
Of earth and stone and fire's darkness are you, like
Glóin, your father, and his father before him -
Give me no gold, bring me none of your gems.
His hands were most likely calloused, as yours, a
Lady's gentle greeting they have rarely known, a
Greeting that I give you now, my
Lockbearer, a bearer of heart's treasure.
Wherever your fate takes you under the sun,
Thou shalt go with the wood's blessings, as
Goes the green leaf through its days, go you.
My own days under this sun are ending,
Thought and life flow away, falling from my hand
Goes the ending of our tale under these stars,
With many of my people I will soon be gone -
Thee, my Lockbearer, think of me,
But do not let your heart be troubled,
Have no cup of darkness for your partaking.
A long road lays before you, weary
Cares, weary days, but great joys also.
To such as you, this will be no great burden. I
Lay my own burdens down soon, taking up naught.
Thine people, thine inheritance will yet stand a while,
Axes and swords, jewels and gates.
To your people and those you serve, I bid
The farewell of an Age both blessed and cursed,
Rightfully and wrongfully have we lived, and the
Trees will remember.
-
My final tale told in full, my wandering at an end,
I could recline this aged head to
Rest. In peace I could at last lay down,
And breathe out my last breath
With my Lady's name upon my lips.
Again from the Appendices as we draw the adventure to a close: an aged Gimli sets sail with Legolas, Galadriel's lock still set within its crystal. I'm tagging this with 'romance' only in the sense that it is a matter of the heart. With it I am including Galadriel's Message, which takes her message to him and uses each word to guide a full poem.
Lockbearer
Lockbearer, where have you gone?
Over the seas, the wide seas to find you,
Where the sun and the moon's slow dance
Leaves their glimmerings on the ocean waves
In pale imitation of your tresses.
Over the seas, I seek you;
Soft pearls of foam cascade about our craft,
Jewels that perish as quick as thought -
But imperishable was your gift to me.
I have set it in crystal, laced with sweetest gold:
These few strands of light; this remembrance.
So small a portion of your beauty fair;
Like clear gemstones whose surface captures flame,
To scatter their fire-gold about a warm, dark room.
Glinting of eternities of long golden afternoons,
Contemplative and serene as waters full of stars,
Brushed by the lips of gentle winds in waiting
Beneath an ebony and diamond canopy of sky;
A shine only to be found in tear-filled eyes
Beholding their beloved after heart-long ages apart.
Lockbearer, why do you seek me?
I am heart-full of aching memories,
And my years are reaching their end.
There was a day your eyes looked into my mind,
And what you beheld there you never spoke.
My artist's wonder filled and overflowed
As you granted the desire of my heart.
These few strands you entrusted to me
I would safely return to the fair enclosure of your hands,
Lest others take them up after my days are ended
And with arrogance, bear them in dishonor;
Those who never knew you, or looked upon your face.
I would rather risk it being lost to the sea,
Taken down to some deep and silent chamber
Where no hands would touch nor eyes behold.
Yes, I would place this dearest treasure back
Into the white hands that first bestowed it,
Lest I be counted faithless in what was given.
In gratitude for the sweetness this gift added to my years,
I would lay it down before you.
Then in contentment, my searching done;
My final tale told in full, my wandering at an end,
I could recline this aged head to
Rest. In peace I could at last lay down,
And breathe out my last breath
With my Lady's name upon my lips.
-
Galadriel's Message
To one who has traveled far,
Gimli of the Dwarves, under the wood where no
Son of the earth has trod for many a year,
Of earth and stone and fire's darkness are you, like
Glóin, your father, and his father before him -
Give me no gold, bring me none of your gems.
His hands were most likely calloused, as yours, a
Lady's gentle greeting they have rarely known, a
Greeting that I give you now, my
Lockbearer, a bearer of heart's treasure.
Wherever your fate takes you under the sun,
Thou shalt go with the wood's blessings, as
Goes the green leaf through its days, go you.
My own days under this sun are ending,
Thought and life flow away, falling from my hand
Goes the ending of our tale under these stars,
With many of my people I will soon be gone -
Thee, my Lockbearer, think of me,
But do not let your heart be troubled,
Have no cup of darkness for your partaking.
A long road lays before you, weary
Cares, weary days, but great joys also.
To such as you, this will be no great burden. I
Lay my own burdens down soon, taking up naught.
Thine people, thine inheritance will yet stand a while,
Axes and swords, jewels and gates.
To your people and those you serve, I bid
The farewell of an Age both blessed and cursed,
Rightfully and wrongfully have we lived, and the
Trees will remember.
-