Jan. 3, 2014 ~ Happy 122nd Birthday, Professor, with poem by jan-u-wine.

[mechtild]

~*~

Happy Birthday, Professor Tolkien!







Jan-u-wine has delivered yet again, writing a beautiful personal reminiscence of the Professor in narrative verse. But before the poem, a few photographs....


I posted this photograph last year, but it's one of my favourites. He's standing in front of his favourite tree in the Oxford Botanical Garden. It was taken Aug. 9, 1973, a month before he died.






There are quite a few photos of Tolkien smoking a pipe, no longer an approved pastime (however cherished by hobbits, wizards and academics of previous eras). Two of my favourites follow. I regret I do not know who photoshopped the first of the two. Note how examples of Tolkien's writing and drawing are deftly included along two of the borders.






This, perhaps, is my favourite Tolkien portrait.






The following photo shows Tolkien and his son Christopher napping together in the garden behind their Oxford house. I have always loved it as a candid snapshot offering a glimpse of Tolkien as an ordinary person, not just a Great Writer. After reading jan-u-wine's piece I found the photo more broadly applicable. Looking again, thinking of the poem, I couldn't help seeing Jan, and all us fans, as the small sleeper, experiencing through art a sense of closeness to the man who created the books and secondary world we love, as though we could share his dreams.

Mea Cuppa


Might I borrow a cupful of hours,
a tablespoon of minutes

a teaspoon of second-hand
seconds?

I promise I shall not return them.

From the hours shall be forged memories,
whip-stitched 'round the small commas of minutes,

held
at the last,
by the small 'period' of a second.

Might I borrow these things?

Might I have just a bit more
of that which you have already
so kindly given?


~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ .* ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~ . * ~


And so, we walk among the trees,
green and swaying in the wide winds of the world,

knees knobbled by unknown Ages,
roots buried in leaves-of-Autumn-past.

And so,
we walk upon the shore,
star-grist adamant between our toes,

a long-silent leaden dog rover-ing
amongst the sea-wrack.

And so...... we talk of smials
and stars,

of curly heads
and ageless wisdom,

of malice honed sharp
as any sword

of deeds of evil
overthrown

by the bright armour
of love.

Here,
within the sweet-fogg'd lands
of your home,

is the smithy of such dear
devotion,

here,

the kindly word-smith,
forging forever

of nighted curlicues
upon a pale field.


Forever.

Just a moment
in the great river of moments,

just a rounded half-note in
the grand music
of All.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And time runs out,
like the tide upon our life-shore,

and I lie here,
dreaming and alone,

tear-thankful that there have been
such people,

such places,
such.......

time(s).

And wishing that I might have just a
cuppa

more.

~*~

Tolkien's favourite tree today (pinus nigra in the Oxford Botanic Garden):







This more distant shot shows its great height and vast canopy. The wall behind is extremely high, much taller than any person. It makes me think of the tree Niggle spent his life painting, the one he could never finish it. Or, of course, the Tree of Tales.









Previous entry:

~ 'The Desolation of Smaug' by jan-u-wine, with screencap from film.

Other Links:

~ All entries featuring jan-u-wine's poems.

Comments

[mariole.livejournal.com]

Now, here is a man who definitely changed the world for the better. Kudos to you, Professor Tolkien!

Lovely pics, poem, and tree. I'm smiling.

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

Cheers, Mariole! Let's drink to the great man!

I haven't kept up with LJ this last year, with so much going on in real life compounded by difficulties with LJ, but I did see references to you continuing to write with enthusiasm and be published. Huzzah! I hope this is still true. :)

Have a great, highly creative 2014, Mariole!

[mariole.livejournal.com]

It has been an awesome year for me, publishing-wise. I sold 7 short stories, and have now finally joined the professional SF writers group SFWA. You have to have 3 pro-level sales to qualify, and I finally did!

I'm busily working on my novel to send it to a publisher. It's been a banner year and I'm still on fire. Good luck in all your endeavors.

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

Mariole! how nice to *see* you! Glad you enjoyed the post.

Cheers to my favorite teacher. My only regret: he is not here to enjoy our love.

[shirebound]

Ohhhh. That poem has me in tears. Such perfection.

Thank you (both) for these pictures, these memories, and these exquisite words.

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

Hats off, and hearts lifted up, to the Professor! I loved it, too, Shirebound. I'll be over to toast in your LJ shortly. Got company coming (it seems as though entertaining has been non-stop this holiday season!) so I'll just pop in.

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

thank you so much, SB. And cheers to that beautiful and wondrous man!

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is a gorgeous poem, to go with that gorgeous black pine.

of smials
and stars,

Now there's a title for a volume of hobbit poetry if ever there was one. (-:

To the Professor! *clinks glass with you both*

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

*clinks back* So glad you enjoyed. Until we raise a pint for realizes.....take care, my friend!

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

Cheers to the Professor and to beautiful trees! And to those who can appreciate them! *clink*

"of smials
and stars,"

Now there's a title for a volume of hobbit poetry if ever there was one.

By golly, you're right, Lavender. I'll clink to that, too!

[ambree40.livejournal.com]

A great tribute to a special man. And yet, he was such an ordinary man, with his family, his friends, and his job. And his perpetual lack of time is so recognizable in the poem.
That last tree is spectacular. Of course Niggle couldn’t complete it. But the “Leaf” was enough.

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

thank you, Ambree! You know, I think that it is the ordinary things of life, the small and simple things, that actually give rise to greatness. They come from such non-pretentious sources, those small things. And yet they are the *details* in the great painting, the "rest" (as in a musical rest) that makes perfection by an elegant silence....

Simplicity, I think, when paired with an intelligence as sharp as Tolkien's, must needs produce something of wonder. We were so very fortunate to have such a wonderful man and (secondarily) writer share our world-space!

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

You say wonderfully astute things, Ambree. I saw what Jan wrote to you and I can only say in agreement, "yes!"

Learning new things and lovely poetry -- a blessed mix

[mary keesling (from livejournal.com)]

Thank you so much for posting these photos of Professor Tolkien, and for the accompanying illuminating captions; they are wonderful. I love the one where he and his son are asleep... I'd never seen it. Yes, he is very human there, as we are, and more approachable... not as much The Great Writer. And while his writing towers (pun unintended) amongst that of our other greatest writers, for me his greatness -- what would make me cower if I were ever able to meet him (which I believe someday shall happen on another plane, but let's get on with this wretched run-on sentence)
-- would be not so much his great writing, but his enormous knowledge of English and his facility with so many languages, including those he created. What a mind!!!!!

The poem is a jewel of concise word-smithing (speaking of word-smiths), a perfect expression of gratitude for the dear man. I know Tolkien can see and hear us where he is now, enjoying himself mightily, and perhaps even making up more tales of wonder so that some day we might be able to sit round him like children and listen eagerly. (Think Bilbo telling the little hobbits about the trolls turning to stone in the sunlight.) God gave him such an immense talent.

The poem was filled with loveliness... sand made of star-grist adamant...
and

"...the wide winds of the world,

knees knobbled by unknown Ages,
roots buried in leaves-of-Autumn-past."

Sigh!! It really does make me sigh! The only thing that will make me happier right now is if this post really posts... I've not had good luck with Livejournal in the past, but I know it's operator error. Thank you, "Met" and Jan-u-wine.

Mary K.

Re: Learning new things and lovely poetry -- a blessed mix

[mary keesling (from livejournal.com)]

wow, it worked!!! :)

Re: Learning new things and lovely poetry -- a blessed mix

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

and yet another thing to be thank ful for!

Re: Learning new things and lovely poetry -- a blessed mix

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

Dear Mary, you know that I am beyond happy that you enjoyed the post (and of course, the poem)

Word smith? Well, I don't know if I am one of those, but if wanting to the utmost and trying to the utmost will do that....then i am working my way up those smitherly ranks!

I think often of the Holtby quote: When a person that one
> loves is in the world and
> > alive and well..then to miss them is only a new
> flavor, a salt sharpness in
> > experience.

He isn't in the world any longer, but i DO miss him as if he still were. And it IS a new flavor, a salt sharpness in the experience. But it is also an ache of longing, a yearning for so many things. I know it is silly to assume that our spirit selves would want the same things as our fleshly selves, but i do hope that one day i might have just one moment of whatever might pass for speach with him.....

Re: Learning new things and lovely poetry -- a blessed mix

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

Gosh, what a beautiful reply, Mary. Full of thought but also the warmth of your own heart. I'm so glad you stopped in and got to read Jan's piece and see the photos. I love that one of Tolkien and Christopher napping, too (obviously, ha ha!).

You might enjoy these snapshots, too, of the Tolkien family as family. I found them a few years ago on the internet, unidentified. The garden tea one obviously was taken years before the strolling shot. The children by eldest are John, Michael, Christopher and Priscilla. The little girl has to be Priscilla, and Christopher is the youngest boy, but we'll have to guess John and Michael by apparent age.

Re: Learning new things and lovely poetry -- a blessed mix

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

how charming! thank you, Mech!

[pearlette.livejournal.com]

Happy 2014, Mechtild!

Jan's poem is lovely and speaks for us all who adore Tolkien's beautiful mythos, I think.

Love the photos of the Tolkien family.

I rarely come to LJ now, but I had to say hello. :)

I met up last week in London with Lily, who used to post in the Harem. Her first visit to London. We had a wonderful time. We got to see David Tennant as Richard II - a superb production, one of the best Shakespeares I've ever seen, and I'm not just saying that because I fangirl Tennant, this was astounding theatre - and squee'd together over the new Sherlock series. (As much as I love Martin Freeman's Bilbo, I think I love his John Watson even more!)

It's been nearly two years since my housemate died. Time goes by so fast.

Oh, and I got to see Mariole again last June! :) And Maeglian and Meryl Marie, they were visiting Elenya. :)

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

I'm very, very happy you enjoyed the poem and photos, Pearl, and I'm so pleased you got to meet up with fan friends from the Golden Days! Who is Lily, though? Her name at the Harem wasn't Lily, was it? If so, she must already have left by the time I started posting there.

I'll bet Tennant was great in the role, he's such a good actor, but that the production itself was so good, that most makes me wish I'd seen it. Ian McKellen made quite the impression in that role decades ago, but I can't remember what theatre-goers thought of the production as such.

Thanks for stopping, Pearl! I think of you often, in fact every time I look at the signed Alan Lee drawing of Frodo Baggins you sent me. It is on my wall. :)

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

Pearl! thank you so much for dropping in (LJ IS so very quiet these days!) and I'm so happy you enjoyed the post.

I'm very jealous that you saw Tennant in Richard II (as a sublime coincidence, The Shakespeare Code was on this morning!). I'll bet it was wonderful. (jealous, too, that you've already seen two of the three new Sherlocks in the UK.....we don't get to see until Sunday after next!)

I can't make it my mind about Bilbo vs John....they are both ecstatically wonderful!

I don't know Meryl Marie or Lily, but I know Maeglian a bit and used to write to Elenya, back in her ATIH days. I hope they (and you!) are doing well. a very Happy New Year to you!

[antane.livejournal.com]

Greetings, sorry I missed this! I didn't get the email notification I usually do when new things are posted. Love this tribute, my dears, especially the second stanza of the poem and those photos. I hadn't seen that one of Christopher and the Professor - no wonder he has been such a wonderful fan of the stories and also such a marvelous literary executor - love the closeness of the two.

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)

[mechtild.livejournal.com]

Greetings to you, too, Antane! I'm glad you got to read the post. I thought Jan's poem was perfect.

I hadn't seen that one of Christopher and the Professor - no wonder he has been such a wonderful fan of the stories and also such a marvelous literary executor (...) .

I am sure you are right. :)

[jan-u-wine.livejournal.com]

thank you so much, Antane! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post.