Laurelin by Dawn Felagund, Almare

Fanwork Information

Summary:

The deeds of Arda's most contentious heroes form Arda's most poignant songs. An illuminated poem. Updated with a Quenya translation by Almare.

Major Characters:

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre: Poetry

Challenges: Fifth Birthday Celebration

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 2 Word Count: 80
Posted on 8 September 2010 Updated on 13 April 2013

This fanwork is complete.

"Laurelin": Poem and Illumination

Read "Laurelin": Poem and Illumination

Laurelin by Dawn Felagund

Did Laurelin mourn
The golden leaf, twisting on the wind,
Broken free,
Fallen?
Or did she rejoice
In its gift to the loam?

Did Eru mourn
The bright, tortured spirit,
Broken free,
Fallen?
Or did he rejoice
In its gift to the song?

Chapter End Notes

This is a piece that now evokes mixed emotions for me, as it was created from the heart for a person who turned out to be a fraud. Although not my best work (mostly because I was working under tight time constraints), I was generally pleased with how it turned out and wish I could have the original back. The "paper" is vellum--yes, the real stuff! Not the phony stuff that art stores sell as "vellum." :) The gilding uses a raised gilding technique, my first attempt at this on an actual piece. It is done by building up the shape you want to illuminate with gesso, then applying gold leaf like usual. Because the illumination is three-dimensional, it catches the light better than gilding done flat or with shell gold. Actual medieval manuscripts done with raised gilding are breathtaking, but I am not that skilled and also do not have the money for that quality of gold! :) The script is Gothic Littera Bastarda--Gothic Bastard Letters (worth doing for the name alone!)--a late-medieval script that developed as a cursive version of the familiar and highly formal Gothic scripts.

"Laurelin": Quenya Translation

Almare has translated "Laurelin" into Quenya and kindly allowed me (Dawn) to post her translation here. The original can be found on Tumblr.

Read "Laurelin": Quenya Translation

Ma Laurelin nyéranë

i laurëa lassë, rícala thúrinen,

rácina lehta,

lantaina?

Hya ma leryaneryë alassë

an i anna cemenen?

Ma Eru nyéranë

i calima nwalyaina fëa,

rácina lehta,

lantaina?

Hya ma leryaneryë alassë

an i anna lindalen?

Comments

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Both of the poem and the illumination artwork are beautiful. I hope you do not mind but the artwork was displayed today at Roisin's viewing. A lot of people asked me where it came from and who made it. I thought you would want to know your artwork was very much admired by many today and it will continue to be a treasured heirloom in our home. It really is gorgeous Dawn and I know it meant a great deal to Roisin to recieve it.

Wow, thank you, Almare! I'll add your link to the original poem here so that others can enjoy your work on it. (Unless you'd like me to post the translation as a second chapter and give you co-author credit? Please let me know if you do--I'd love to share it here too, if you don't mind! :)

This poem inspires mixed feelings in me, since it was made as a gift for someone who turned out to be very deceptive (she continues to hold the original ... grr ...), but it's definitely an instance where bad circumstances produced something that, it appears, brought joy to others. Like so much in life!

Thanks, Oshun. Apparently, the poem and illumination are getting new mileage on Tumblr, which I like, since it lets me associate the project with something other than what it was intended for. Had I had more time, I could have done better with the calligraphy and especially the illumination, but I'm happy with it, for a quickie job.

Still wish I had my effing original back--that was on real vellum! :)

I'm with Oshun very much - it made me hesitant to comment initially, but your work isn't cheapened by the events that transpired around it, and Almarë's translation is very lovely - I am not sure how, but it maintains the same feeling as the original. Wonderful work by both of you.

Thank you, Elleth. I was tickled to see the project getting new attention on Tumblr; I like that it's being seen for something other than what it was created for, and I'm so grateful for that. Replying to comments on coauthored pieces is always awkward, as I wish we could both respond, but Almare, if you want me to add a response for you, just let me know. :)