Melian the Wise

Melian the Wise

 

Under the long shadows of sleeping trees

On which branches the nightingales sing

And where the elven flowers grow wild

There Melian walks, her black hair as night

And her long dress red as peonies

Made of the finest silk, with glint of the stars.

 

In the Halls of Doriath, from her throne

Melian sees what is yet to come!

Thus Melian stood and spoke

With all the wisdom that was hidden in her heart;

 

‘ O mighty it is the power of the Gods,

And the gift which is given to me ‘

 

‘ Neither darkness nor shadow can come upon us

Expect in the form of treachery ‘

 

‘ O mighty it is the power of Maia indeed

But one day someone will come

Out of the corner of the glade,

Who brings hope beyond of all believes

Though also sorrow there will be ‘

 

Under the long shadows of sleeping trees

On which branches the nightingales sing

And where the elven flowers grow wild

There Melian sings, with all of her loveliness

The most graceful of her kin, spirit of twilight

There Melian walks, her long, long hair

Shimmering in various shades of the evening.

 

It all happened as she told

and Lúthien the Fair, her daughter, was gone

and Beren, who alone of men returned from the dead,

and Thingol ‘Greycloak’, whom she loved

was gone.

  

So was gone in grief also, Melian the Wise

but she went back to the Valinor and the Gardens of Lorien

Where she sang of sadness ever after that.

 

And therefor in Middle-Earth,

Men never again heard Melian’s song bird sing

Nor did not smell the sweet fragrance of elven flowers,

Immortal and fair.

 

All this happened a long, long time ago

And only the distant echo of a memory that once lived

In Men’s hearts reminds us of what we've lost.