“When winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see…”
by Jacqueline Winter Thomas
I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
In summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.
I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring
that I shall ever see.
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring
there is a different green.
I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door.
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring,
“The Lord of the Rings” (271-2).
Speculation or prophecy? Or both?
That one’s great. I memorized it, along with a few other of Tolkien’s.
Short one: the cold hard lands, they bite our hands, they gnaw our feet. the rocks and stones, are like old bones, all bare of meat. but stream and pool, is wet and cool, so nice for our feet! Awesome.
I’ve never read this before – what a lovely poem.
I’ve got a recording of Tolkien reading some bits from is work, and one fortunate result of my having listened to it is that whenever I read him I can easily hear his voice.
so simple and so exquisite! thanks…