The Strangling Ring
Woe for he who carries
A cursèd wheel of gold!
For I, that sorry fellow, feel
I'm turning bitter-cold.
Sky around me darkens
With every step I take.
I can't find strength to smile now...
Not even for your sake.
It's getting hard to salvage
My brighter memories.
Shadow now disguises them
With ever greater ease.
Thus the dark lord's treasure
Did test my weary soul.
I fear the ring's seductive force
Has yet swallowed me whole.
Its ever waxing grip upon
My mind, my heart and hand
Revealed itself just as we reached
The edge of Sauron's land.
When I slumped down breathless,
You reached into our store.
You fetched and gave me water
Till I could drink no more.
At this point my body
Was nigh on waking dead.
Neither could I trace the thoughts
That swirled around my head.
Weakened by the journey,
I was now easy prey.
When you offered me your hand,
My sanity gave way.
Any other eyes would
See that you meant well.
But, no, that ring had me totally
Caught under its spell.
All at once I leapt up,
Time seeming to float.
The fingers on my hands then clasped
Themselves around your throat.
Madness overtook me,
Madness from the ring.
Its grip, and that of my two hands,
Just kept on tightening.
--O, how it doth pain me
To call back this nightmare!
The incident fills me with shame
That I don't want to share....
Samwise, please forgive me
But also, you must see
That when I blindly choke you, it's
The ring that strangles me.
Woe for he who carries
A cursèd wheel of gold!
For I, that sorry fellow, feel
I'm turning bitter-cold.
Sky around me darkens
With every step I take.
I can't find strength to smile now...
Not even for your sake.
It's getting hard to salvage
My brighter memories.
Shadow now disguises them
With ever greater ease.
Thus the dark lord's treasure
Did test my weary soul.
I fear the ring's seductive force
Has yet swallowed me whole.
Its ever waxing grip upon
My mind, my heart and hand
Revealed itself just as we reached
The edge of Sauron's land.
When I slumped down breathless,
You reached into our store.
You fetched and gave me water
Till I could drink no more.
At this point my body
Was nigh on waking dead.
Neither could I trace the thoughts
That swirled around my head.
Weakened by the journey,
I was now easy prey.
When you offered me your hand,
My sanity gave way.
Any other eyes would
See that you meant well.
But, no, that ring had me totally
Caught under its spell.
All at once I leapt up,
Time seeming to float.
The fingers on my hands then clasped
Themselves around your throat.
Madness overtook me,
Madness from the ring.
Its grip, and that of my two hands,
Just kept on tightening.
--O, how it doth pain me
To call back this nightmare!
The incident fills me with shame
That I don't want to share....
Samwise, please forgive me
But also, you must see
That when I blindly choke you, it's
The ring that strangles me.