Songs of Valinor
By Meir Brin

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Hymn to Elbereth

Gilthoniel a Elbereth
Lady pure in the farthest west
A light over the shade of death
We look to thee, O Elbereth.

In exile still we sing to thee
We Elves who walk beneath the stars
And linger with bloodstainèd leave
From kinsmen cross the sundered seas.

In shadows wander Elves that left
Thy hallowed shores, Ai! Elbereth
An ancient grace yet still bereft
Abiding by the Oath we kept.

Our souls do long for farthest west
Where once we lived away from strife
Where dwell our lords of Elfinesse
In greatest bliss and Valar's rest.

A song of parting we do cry
The Eldar's flower leaves too soon
Foretold to fade but never die
Our fate the Valar must decide.

O Lady white and ever fair
Cut through the shadows' deepest night
With lord above the holy air
And those, my kin, who would not dare.

The Quendi still do look to thee
As evening falls upon our shores
We long to view the blessèd trees
Though we be parted by the sea.

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Author's Note: Apologies for the varying rhyme scheme. I'm experimenting with iambic quatremeter (and no, I don't know how to spell that), so things are kind of shaky. The previous piece concerned Finrod Felagund. -MB