Nightingale
Tinuviel! Tinuviel!
Disclaimer: All is property to JRR Tolkien.
I had to write a poem in English that had to be at least 20 lines long. So I ended up writing about the tale of Luthien and Beren, my favorite love story from The Silmarllion and second favorite couple in all of Tolkien-lore.
I hope you enjoy…
XVIVXVIVX
A survivor Beren was, this
Son of Barahir, wandering the
Woods and lands of the
World of Old-the mythical land that was
Valinor-
With all his kin but gone and dead
Beren became the lone wolf, wandering
But never lost.
It came upon one eve:
Beren stumbled into Luthien's
Glade. So beautiful she was, with
Hair as the star speckled sky with gems
Intertwined in it while she danced under the
Moon's unblinking gaze, that Beren
In his tongue of Mortal Men cried out
Tinuviel! Tinuviel!
Luthien, now 'Tinuviel' she was,
A nightingale of her court and in the
Mortal Man's eyes and noble King Thingol's
Daughter, fairest of all the Elves that had
Ever walked upon Valinor and Middle-Earth.
Her soft and tender touch melted
Even the coldest hearts and
Mortal men did not stand chance
Against her beauty.
Her dancing ceased, for she was taken by the
Deeming cry of Beren. Heart beating within
Her bosom and breath increasing, blood rushed
To her pale checks, whose beauty
Was envied under the moon's light.
The lovers stared at each other, star crossed
As beloved Romeo and lovely Juliet.
But Thingol, high king of Elves, would
Not let loose his cherished daughter, deeming
Beren unworthy of such a prize. But before him,
Thingol reached a pact with the survivor
Of Mortals; bring back an unobtainable
Item of praise, the Silmarli wrought into
The steel crown of Morgoth himself!
Accepting his charge, face unmoved,
Beren rode off in to imminent darkness.
But behind was Luthien left
With only a silent and fading hope
As a darkness bloomed in her that
Beat beneath her bosom. Upon her
Mother's words, Beren had been
Taken captive by the deadliest
Servant of Morgoth, Sauron the Evil,
One on whom Barahir's death is responsible.
But Thingol would not allow
For his daughter to leave…
He placed Luthien in Doriath in
A tower that graced the clouds.
Yet the fair nightingale's will would
Not be broken; she cut her
Long black tendrils-the ones that had
Captivated Beren so- and plaited
Them into the fashion of a ladder
And climbed down to meet her
Brave Beren that had dangerous
Task bribe his mind to be
Befuddled and give up.
With the aid of a
Fearsome looking-but friendly in disposition-
Hound, Huan taken by her
Sweet honey dew scent, she braved the evil
That lingered on Sauron's isle like the
Rohirim that would venture into Pelennor many ages to come.
Free from Sauron's grasp, Beren continued his
Journey to Morgoth's lair of Angband.
Upon arrival, Luthien wove a
Song of sleep that enticed and prevailed
Over the evil that stirred. From the steel
Crown of sleeping Morgoth, Beren plucked
The glittering Silmarli and gaining his fair
Maiden's hand. But in the yelp of
Victory, Luthien's spell was broken and in a
CRASH of Beren's soiled body against the wall
As an evil wolf of Angband had taken
The hand of Beren that once clasped
The glistening Silmarli.
Metallic tasting blood filled his
Mouth and lungs- yet he smiled
In victory.
Knowing his fate to be death,
Luthien prolonged his agony until reaching
The Hall of Mandos where his will
Would not bend until death had
Claimed him. In peace he died
Knowing that he had won
Fairly and justly his lady's hand.
A sad, sweet and sorrowful song
Of eternal sleep did Luthien sing as
She wept into the night. But her mourning did not
Go unchecked: so taken by her song and despair
The cold heart of Mandos, one of the Kings of the Valar,
Was moved by her song. He gave her a gift bourn from her
Grief. His magic drained away the light of the Eldar,
Leaving nothing but a mortal woman with her
Tears of sadness and mortality. Mandos cast
Luthien away to where Beren now dwelt,
On the Island of Tol Galen where in Middle-Earth
They lived out their days as mortals, just as did
The tale of Elessar and Arwen in many ages later.
