Songbird by losselen
Fanwork Notes
Fanwork Information
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Summary: A poem for Finrod. Major Characters: Finrod Felagund Major Relationships: Genre: Poetry Challenges: Rating: General Warnings: |
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| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 093 |
| Posted on 10 November 2014 | Updated on 10 November 2014 |
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This fanwork is complete. | |
Songbird
Read Songbird
This old cold
how like a sly lime
this peering hollow
in an evil hour,
sings into your bones.
Is it the same ice, Felagund
left by some heatless,
heatless fire, an empty keel there of
blood kin oath
yet none you took, yet there you lie.
Mortals and oaths!
Knowing nothing
of the death not but written in;
Felagund, do you yet know what I know:
all your kingdoms turned clay.
And yet you lie dying!
Tell me then
the estimated boundaries
of our circumscribed world,
where your mind wandered in all the time hence.
For I remember you last
a moonlit movement lost amid wolves and darkness;
by your grace was the fate won:
I see the
pallid brushstrokes
in your futility.
No evil rent your hands,
neither fang nor treachery, though
his song echoed in the harrowed halls.
Your words betrayed you.
And your gaze flaring,
what triumphant movement in defeat
cast into the dark
a muted songbird
fallen, with wings contracted
Chapter End Notes
Written in 2006.
(1) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Songbird
Tolkien's verses that describe the Duel of Song in the Lay of Leithian are among my favorite bits of his writing (I actually prefer that to The Silmarillion's account), and "Songbird" is a wonderfully compelling expansion upon that. I love each and every carefully chosen phrase and word and the symbolism they invoke, every subtlety, the rhythm you create, and the haunting imagery that weaves itself into Finrod's demise. The opening verses...
"This old cold
how like a sly lime
this peering hollow
in an evil hour,
sings into your bones.
...immediately grabbed me and did not let go.
Poetry is such a difficult art form and intimidates the bejeebus out of me, but this poem and your other works here clearly demonstrate your mastery of verse. Beautiful work!
Re: (1) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Songbird
I'm rather overlate in answering this review, but-- I'm very glad you liked this poem! I concur that the duel of song is a fierce piece of poetry of Tolkien's; the more I revisit it the more subtleties I find in it. Thank you!