My legs pump in unison with my heart.
My breath comes in ragged sobs and gasps.
The life I know, about to fall apart,
The life I knew, nearly in my grasp.
Sam, faithful Sam, wonderful Sam,
Runs beside me and helps me when I fall.
I look into his eyes and see who I am
To him: his master, his protector, his all.
And there it is, the gaping hole,
The final leg of doom, right there.
Help each other up; push, Sam, Frodo, pull!
I gasp for breath, breathing in the fatal air.
The Eye is drawn away; diversion at the gates!
Aragorn, ready to fight to the death,
Draws his attention away from our fate
Ready to guard us with every breath.
But far behind us, down the hill,
The little creature, crouched and cunning,
Cold and vicious, chases us still,
But I can't go on! Please, no more running!
Then finally, we're there at last,
The doorway, the entrance to Mount Doom,
The time for looking back is long since past,
We face the last part of our journey through gloom.
I'm on the edge; lava boils under me.
The chain around my neck, about to leave,
But it's so comfortable, after months, to me.
How can I let it go? I cannot breathe.
The beautiful circlet of fiery gold,
The tiny words written 'round the edge,
And it is mine, to have and to hold,
Without it, my soul, my essence, is dead.
Sam looks on, his face confused.
But I can leave him now, I don't need him.
I've got the precious, precious, I've got you
You slip on to my finger, and now, and then-
Something hits me from behind,
I slip, and I nearly, oh, so nearly fall.
My precious, you have made me blind,
When I have given you my all.
And then, a pain, a blinding pain,
Erupts on my right hand.
I scream, and see my self again,
The creature leaps, and then he lands.
Holding up the precious high,
He dances gleefully; he has you,
Pay attention, you foolish swine!
But it's too late, he's gone, and you are, too.
But then it comes back, everything,
My life, my hopes, my fears, my loves,
And I'm myself, myself, it sings,
And Sam is there, angel from above.
I stumble and fall, down to my knees,
I have myself back, who I am.
I'm glad you're here with me,
Here at the end of all things, Sam.
