A Sense of History: Straight Road
The next in a series of articles about ships passing to and from the West, Simon uses "The Fall of Númenor" to attempt to arrive at Tolkien's reading of the exordium to "Beowulf."
They come on wings of fog that swallows light:
fell kings and singers, once so fair of hand,
and face, and form. And kind, as told in song,
to children, taking hand in tender hand,
all tears and woes to banish with a song.
Now, long grief wound round and through with light
steals music from them, turns awry their Song.
Blinded, rough, they chase her for the light.
She falls, evading all their grasping hands.
And rises -- hands no more her hands but wings; the light a song.