To Drain a Lake by Himring

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To Drain a Lake

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Who would dream to drain a lake? 

Men have done more than dream of it.

They have done so to obtain arable lands.

They have drained whole lakes to irrigate fields,

unthinking,

never anticipating

that the drained earth would turn salt.

 

Who would drain a lake? 

Melkor, who later despoiled Helevorn,

drained the Great Lake, it seems,

battling the Valar,

as he smashed rock and burned earth.

If there had been a lake in Gorgoroth,

if there was a lake in the Brown Lands,

Sauron drained them.

Doubtful that either of those dreamed of it,

before or after,

aiming at higher things—

or lower.

(I do not wish to peek into their dreams.)

 

Were lakes drained?

When Beleriand sank

or Numenor,

how likely is it that lakes were riven in the earthquakes,

drained before they drowned?

Grey Mithrim,

gleaming Ivrin,

reedy Linaewen,

holy Aeluin,

Nisinen of the perfumed air,

broken and poured out

before the sea poured in.

Elves and Men

dreamed of lost lakes in lost lands

long after.

 

Maybe the Master of Esgaroth,

in his dragon sickness,

dreamt of draining the Long Lake,

to recover jewels from Smaug’s waistcoat.

Maybe Saruman, searching secretly for the Ring,

dreamt of draining the Gladden Fields,

if he could have got away with it.

Did anyone dream of draining Kheled-Zaram,

believing Durin’s crown lay at the bottom,

theirs for the taking?

The more fools they.