
Ai! lauri’ lantar lassi s’rinen,
Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind,
y’ni ’n’tim’ ve r’mar aldaron!
long years numberless as the wings of trees!
Y’ni ve lint’ yuldar av’nier
The long years have passed like swift draughts
mi oromardi liss’-miruv’reva
of the sweet mead in lofty halls
And’n’ pella, Vardo tellumar
beyond the West, beneath the blue vaults of Varda
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni
wherein the stars tremble
’maryo airet’ri-l’rinen.
in the voice of her song, holy and queenly.
S’ man i yulma nin enquantuva?
Who now shall refill the cup for me?
An s’ Tintall’ Varda Oioloss’o
For now the Kindler, Varda, the Queen of the stars,
ve fanyar m’ryat Elent’ri ortan’
from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds
ar ily’ tier undul’v’ lumbul’
and all paths are drowned deep in shadow;
ar sindan’riello caita morni’
and out of a grey country darkness lies
i falmalinnar imb’ met,
on the foaming waves between us,
ar h’si’ unt’pa Calaciryo m’ri oial’.
and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever.
S’ vanwa n’, R’mello vanwa, Valimar!
Now lost, lost to those of the East is Valimar!
Nam’ri’! Nai hiruvaly’ Valimar!
Farewell! Maybe thou shalt find Valimar!
Nai ely’ hiruva! Nam’ri’!
Maybe even thou shalt find it! Farewell!
What do you think about this poem written by Tolkien?
By the way this is not only a beautiful poem, in both sound and meaning, but (I think) it inspired Tolkien to pen and actually publish a notable aspect of Galadriel's story in the 1960s (The Road Goes Ever On)...
... the penitent Rebel, specially banned at the end of the First Age for her role as a leader, but still proud at this time (very many years before the One would pass into Lorien).
Who now shall refill the cup for me? The once proud penitent Nerwende Artanis is the only Galadriel for me!
Lovely, beautiful to read it again. Would love to hear Enya read or sing this wonderful example of Elvish.