Written in 2005 – Page 2 – Hearts Still Care

(thus follows a dialogue between his wife and Gandalf, the White)

O rejoice! He is at last, long last,
Returned to me!
At last he’ll be free!
O years since he had been cast
On a treacherous route,
A road that’s dull and mute.

He stood strong and bold,
Amid the field,
Without a shield.
That was what was told.
He met the enemy strong
And, aye, battled hard and long.

Why won’t he open his eyes,
Bluer than sapphires,
All ablaze with fires?
Whereforth are all his cries,
Vibrant as the grey elves
Who hide in the green delves.

The arrow sang cold and sank deep,
He hit the ground,
Furor all around,
Putting him in a dreamless sleep,
That has no waking call,
Just a soft breakless fall.

Life tells me to run now, run fast:
Make each moment count, each smile last!
The night haunts me, the house cries
The shadows gnaw and all light dies.

A sliver escapes and flashes like a star
But that sliver is small and it’s so far.
I stand among roses and thorns
And even use my heart’s evil horns.

I stretch my hand right out, I ache
To acquire it before these horns break
The heart already bleeds and the dark closes
While an invisible worm rapes my roses.

A black, fathomful river twists my way
Rolling, eating each hope of fading day

Sweat pores down my temples, I stretch
My hand to that sliver of light…
Nausea builds, breath stops, I wretch
And my body becomes a miserable sight.

I hear the river; the horns break;
I fall into my roses; the thorns cut
Into my flesh and I cry, “For my sake,
God, for my sake!” But

All I hear in response is the closing river;
He becomes the taker I become the giver;
I stand, wounded, and gaze at that star;
Can hear the water rushing, not very far,

And wait for it carry me to a different land,
Or for that star to fall,
Into my outstretched hand.