Members' Art, Prose and Poetry

marbretherese · Post by **marbretherese** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:42 pm

It's pretty quiet on here at the moment. Perhaps now would be a good time to post my poem. With a bit of luck no-one will notice . . .

Strider

“That’s Strider in the corner – he’s an odd one, no mistake!
He vanishes for months on end; who knows what road he’ll take.
He don’t say much, and folk round here are wary of his gaze –
There’s plenty strange things happening, and weird tales around, these days!”

“O Barliman! They cannot see the white light on his brow,
The flickering flame which crowns him – or they would not doubt him now!
As Aragorn, King Elessar, he comes to claim his throne,
The day is drawing near when he will make his purpose known.”

“He’s come and gone as long as most of us here can recall –
The years go by yet he don’t seem to age that much at all!
He’s one of them there Rangers from up North by Deadman’s Dike,
A mystery man; and yet I can’t find nothing to dislike!”

“A legend sprung to life, he will fulfil his destiny –
In Minas Tirith’s courtyard, white will bloom brave Gondor’s tree,
And all will shout as they behold their King so just and fair
‘The Broken Sword is forged again! All hail, Isildur’s heir!’”

Riv Res · Post by **Riv Res** » Thu May 24, 2007 9:06 pm

Oh marbretherese!!

I noticed and it is WONDERFUL!! There is fun and play and old peasant English, and then there are the polished verses that truly speak to the spirit of Aragorn and Elessar and all the promise this brilliant character brought to this remarkable story. What would we have done without Aragorn?

Bravo!!

Riv Res · Post by **Riv Res** » Thu May 24, 2007 9:13 pm

First pass...

Click on image to enlarge.

Airwin · Post by **Airwin** » Thu May 24, 2007 11:10 pm

marbretherese, what a wonderful poem! I love it!

Riv, excellent job again. I feel like going over there for a pint!

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Fri May 25, 2007 4:39 am

This is wonderful!

marbretherese, what a fine poem! The structure fits the subject matter perfectly, and the rhythm and word choices are perfect. I've always thought the 'flame on the brow' image that Tolkien uses is interesting, so I'm glad you use it, too. Well done, indeed.

RR, I love the red roof and the wisteria! Have you thought about making the background of the inn darker so that the light in the windows seems warmer and merrier?

marbretherese · Post by **marbretherese** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:11 pm

Thanks everyone for your kind comments - I'm glad you liked the poem!! I had such fun writing it . . . and it was inspired by the research I did for my essay. I'd never taken much notice of the 'flame on the brow' passage until then

and I was really struck by it. Next time I read LOTR I'm determined to really savour it. It's so easy to get caught up in the story and miss the subtlety!

Riv, I love your lighted inn, I had wondered when you were going to show us a painted version!

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:29 pm

Bravo marbretherese and Riv Res! A wonderful poem and a lovely picture. Perhaps one could step inside Riv's inn and have a pint with the Strider from marbretherese's poem? We can dream, can't we?

Riv Res · Post by **Riv Res** » Fri May 25, 2007 8:41 pm

Merry, I think you're right about emphasizing the lighted windows. Does this work better?

Click on image to enlarge.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sat May 26, 2007 1:49 am

Yes! Warmer and merrier, definitely. Nice architectural rendering, RR, with the gazebo-like thing in the front--well done!

marbretherese · Post by **marbretherese** » Sat May 26, 2007 4:50 pm

Lindariel wrote:Perhaps one could step inside Riv's inn and have a pint with the Strider from marbretherese's poem? We can dream, can't we?

Now that's a thought, Lindariel!!

Riv, your inn is positively glowing now!

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Sat May 26, 2007 7:28 pm

Serve me right for not logging in for a couple of days - look what I missed!

Mabreterese, your poem is wonderful

, I love it! It was about time we had another poem on this thread - we seem to be unleashing hidden talents here all the time

. I like the clever weaving of two voices, it really brings out the delight we all feel reading LotR again, knowing who he is ourselves and savouring the secret which characters in the book will only discover much later. I like the reference to the 'white light on his brow' too!

Riv - I love the inn, it was a good choice making the lights in the windows stand out more. And I love the wisteria weaving gracefully overhead. That's quite a series you've created now!

It's a delight to visit here, it really is.

marbretherese · Post by **marbretherese** » Sun May 27, 2007 5:04 pm

Thanks, Iolanthe! Let's hope I don't have to wait until I get round to writing another essay for poetic inspiration to strike again!

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:39 am

It is a delight to visit here, as Iolanthe says. Many thanks to those creative people who make it so!

Today is Pentecost for Christians, and as I heard the readings about the first Pentecost in church today, I wondered if Tolkien was thinking about that when he wrote about the flame that occasionally appeard on Elessar's brow, as marbretherese reminds us above. I can't think of any other reference for that.

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Mon May 28, 2007 4:31 pm

It's what came into my mind when I first read it, Merry. I wonder what conclusions Tolkien wanted us to draw from it? I can't recall any similar mythological references he might have drawn on though it might be interesting to go on a hunt

.

There are several occasions when this is represented by a real gem-light on Aragorn/Elessar's brow. Galadriel ties a bright gem to his brow when she presents him to Arwen in Lothlorien (conincidently I've just been reading the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen - sigh - so it's very fresh in my mind). Then there is the Coronation, when he steps out from amongst the Dunadain:

...but his head was bare save for a star upon his forehead bound by a slender filet of silver.

It seems to be a symbol that's both physically and spiritually represented.

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Mon May 28, 2007 5:02 pm

You're right, Iolanthe. The vision of a white flame on Aragorn's brow is a reference to his eventual inheritance of the Star of the North (also called the Star of Elendil) signifying his Kingship of Arnor. The King of Arnor did not wear a crown, but a silver (mithril?) circlet holding a white gem upon the brow.

The Sons of Elrond brought the Star of the North to Aragorn in Rohan and he wore it during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields:

But before all went Aragorn with the Flame of the West, Anduril like a new fire kindled, Narsil re-forged as deadly as of old; and upon his brow was the Star of Elendil.

You will no doubt also recall the following passage, which occurs in "The Houses of Healing" chapter of ROTK, when Gandalf comes to fetch Aragorn to tend to Faramir, Eowyn, and Merry:

And he [Aragorn] commanded that his banner should be furled; and he did off the Star of the North Kingdom and gave it to the keeping of the sons of Elrond.

Clearly, Aragorn arrived at the Pelennor Field arrayed as the incipient King of Arnor and the presumptive King of Gondor and bearing every possible symbol of his right to the throne -- Narsil reforged as Anduril, the Star of Elendil, and the banner Arwen made for him displaying the White Tree of Gondor, the Seven Stars, and the high crown of Gondor above all. Entering into Minas Tirith, he removed the Star of Elendil, and put on the Elessar, and brought into the Houses of Healing another sign of Kingship -- his healing hands.

Interestingly enough, Elladan and Elrohir also are described as wearing stars on their brows during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. My guess is that this is to signify their kinship with Earendil, who IS a star. Does anyone have any solid information on the heritage of these stars?