Lay of Leithian Fans Unite!

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Are you a lover of Tolkien's literature? Are you are a lover of his poetry? Do you think the Lay of Leithian is ****ing awesome? Then this is the thread for you! All Leithianers, come together and spread the word! Bring the true Light, the beauty of this most sacred Lay to the heathen non-Tolkienites, to the "I've only read the Lord of the Rings" folk, and especially to the blasphemous "The Lord of the Rings was based on a book?" heretics.

Unite, Leithianers, and Proselytise!

(Also, discuss your favourite parts, and the singular beauty of this text among yourselves.)

[littleadanel]

*raises hand*

I am! I am! I do!

But, it's late in the night here... I'll come back tomorrow with a fresher and probably functioning brain, I promise...

...wandering music, warbling wild,
for love of Thingol's elfin child....

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Thu chanted a song of wizardry,
of piercing, opening, of treachery,
revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then sudden Felagund there swaying
sang in answer a song of staying,
resisting, battling against power,
of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
of trust unbroken, of freedom, escape,
of changing and of shifting shape,
of snares eluded, broken traps,
the prison opening, the chain that snaps.
Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Reeling and foundering, as ever more strong
Thu's chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
and all the magic and and might he brought
of Elfinesse into his words.
Softly in the gloom they heard the birds,
singing afar in Nargothrond,
the sighing of the sea beyond,
beyond the Western world, on sand,
on sand of pearls, in Elvenland.


...
...and black the ravens sat and cried
upon their banners black, and wide
was heard their hideous chanting dread
above the reek and trampled dead.

[Rosie Gamgee]

*raises hand* Oh, me! I love the poem! I have tons of favourite parts, but I don't own the book so I cannot quote them here. I like the beginning, where it is describing Luthien--very evocative and pretty.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

My favourite section is the first one I cited. I have it (and a few lines after) more or less memorised. I had to look up "singing afar in Nargothrond," though.

[Count Comfect]

Ooh! Ooh! I love that poem! I recited the first 2 cantos for my English class in 12th grade. We had to memorize a poem at least 8 lines long twice each semester. The record was something like 370 lines, so I went the whole hog and hit both cantos. It took 16 minutes to recite, and I was going fast... I think most of the class fell asleep. But DAMN that was fun.

A king there was in days of old
Ere men yet walked upon the mold
His power was reared in cavern's shade
His hand was over glen and glade
His shields were shining as the moon
His lances keen of steel were hewn
Enchantment did his realm enfold
Where might and glory, wealth untold
He wielded from his ivory throne
In many pillared halls of stone.
There beryl, pearl and opal pale
And metal wrought like fishes' mail
Buckler and corset, axe and sword
And shining spears were laid in hoard.
All these he had, and loved them less
Than a maid once in Elfinesse
For fairer than are born to men
A daughter had he, Luthien.

That might not be word-perfect, but it WAS 3 years ago... (and no, that's not all I remember, but it goes to a break).

[durinsbane2244]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

Bring the true Light, the beauty of this most sacred Lay to the heathen non-Tolkienites, to the "I've only read the Lord of the Rings" folk, and especially to the blasphemous "The Lord of the Rings was based on a book?" heretics.

an awesome lay, a fan myself, but isn't talk like that what started some of those conflicts mentioned in hector's memoirs? [bum bum buuum] careful!