Celebrian

This is a poem told from Glorfindel's point of view about the love between Elrond and his wife.

She passes a footbridge and glances behind her

In the air leaves are falling

Luminescent tranes of white creep after

Sun fades and night is falling

Quickly I draw back into the shadows

Needlessly I avoid her sight

She is not looking at me but behind

Glancing and beguiling her lover to follow

Her gown rustles in the fallen leaves

Silken tresses fall as her hair rains down

Unbound, feet unshod she walks lightly

My lord and lady do not see me

Too busy are they admiring one another

Enraptured by each other's eyes they stand

Enchanted, like statues of stone

I need not hide for they have eyes for none but each other

But I remain in the shadows veiled.

Rough hands I have known in battle

Deadly swords and lances to wield

A fiery heart and angry gaze

Are suddenly soothed away.

Hard arms rend themselves softer

Harsh glances are tenderly forsaken

The warrior is weakened by her loving eyes.

Here as the light is fading, secluded in this wood

All guise of court is forgotten, and they stand as they should

The lord and his lady, with her tiny hand in his

Not knowing that any eyes see them.

For the father, husband, and lover he is are truly revealed

The motherly tenderness, her wifely grace and youthfulness

All exposed in the open for the ethereal world to see.

Nakedness of soul and wonderful love that must lay hidden

For needless ceremonies, for endless tasks that rob them of time

For each other. For their hidden love that I know of.

For a love that all know, but are unable to express

For an openness that society bids them mask.

The leaves are falling as they did long ago

When gold they rained, not mortal red

Where her light shown in Elven-splendour

Undimmed, unfaded by the shadows of night

Do they known that time has passed them by?

Do they realize that they now wear their rings

And carry promises of eternity with them?

Have they seen their sons and daughter play?

Do they know the leaves have changed and that they

Stand no longer in Lorien, unstained,

But in Imladris, and the years have slowly faded

Into night and nought?

Or are they still there, standing for the first time

With their hearts open for the other to read,

Renouncing the night, shadow, and dusk

Pledging their lives to each other?

Are they standing still in time when the leaves are falling,

Falling under the golden mallorn east of the Sea?