Elendil's Blessing

What a merciless road stretches before me!

For not so long have I yet traveled

Toward an insatiable horizon.

I have only just left my home,

And though it lies but a few leagues behind me,

I feel as though the distance I put between myself and the grassy Shire

Adds to the weight that is shackled to my spirit.

The toil of travel has been rough;

And the wind hints that its perils shall increase.

Journeying with no end in sight

Can suck the light out of hopeful thought,

Drain the breath that my weary limbs seek.

O, how my body weeps with discomfort!

From stretching muscle to the limit,

Bending bones down with the burden of weariness

—And with a secret burden that is far more heavy—

From exhausting every fibre

Then laying down to rest on a bumpy roadside

Only to wake the next morning with knots and stiffness

That add to the pain of movement.

My stomach complains of insufficient rations.

My tongue misses the savoury taste of cool ale

And fresh, warm bread

And juicy, pink meat lightly salted….

I feel a kick in the gut when I regard my meals:

Now a quarter of the usual size

And far less enjoyable.

And how can I ignore the elements?

In the daytime, scorching sunlight bakes my brow,

Soaks my clothes and hair with sweat.

The gentle breeze that brings relief blows all too rarely.

Instead, the night wind rips through my blanket,

Sending a chill up and down my spine

And waking me frequently from a shallow sleep.

But on this night, the weather has chosen to be kind to me.

I sit upright with my legs tucked into my bed sack,

The air fluttering softly against my skin.

I lean my back lightly against the side of a tree

Where my companions have all found sleep.

How blessed they are, blind with loyalty,

To find solace in the dark uncertainty of night.

I stay up on the watch for danger,

And at this lonely hour,

My eyes look to the sky.

Stars blink brightly,

Caught in the net of night's bruised-blue dome.

I watch the patterns of twinkling and flashing

Until my gaze settles upon one particularly marvelous star.

As I focus upon it, I perceive a faint, but distinct whisper:

Elendil

I notice that the air has grown still and silent.

A mysterious calm envelops the land,

Assures my heart that there is no danger nearby,

And then sends me gently into a blissful sleep.