In The Depths of the Earth
by Shauna

***

the faint cry 'Gandalf!'
on the stone walls still ringing
was without meaning
darkness without place in time

just struggling in black
hands on claws of darkest fire
which could not show the way
if I ran or turned back

Cirdan's ring was in my pocket
and I was not without the desire
to use it
but no power is anquanta, fullest
analta, greatest
when you can lose it

the whip coiled on my ancient skin
and I thought that I might die
except I couldn't
not beneath the eleni
the stars, the sky

but black torment I could feel forever
when rings and quests were gone
and I for a moment surrendered to the balrog
until, far away, a light turned on

then I slew the distracted beast
and crawled towards the glow
to an elf and a radiance I thought dead long ago

In the depths of the earth
I found him there
he was
cradling a gem and hiding it with his burnt hair
moaning
'ancalima harma'

I reached for the jewel, and felt its warmth against my palm
but Maedhros screamed aloud,
with animals words
'get you gone!'
and I saw the special torment saved for he
worse than my own just past
or his brother's in the cool sea

and though I had not from the balrog
from this I thought I must flee
for his pain was too great
and so was my empathy

the heat of the jewel in my legs I ran
til fissures became caves and caves rooms
and then I continued walking
my weaknesses healing with my wounds

***

My first LotR poem - please respond, this is probably not
the final version. AU, I suppose, but I think it could be canon
if elves are very hardy and you can blame continental drift. Or
maybe not. The idea of it just struck me. Inspiration for
this came from 'The Jewels' by Artanis.

***