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~*~
Happy Late Birthday, Bilbo and Frodo....
I have said this is a new poem, but technically it is not. Jan-u-wine wrote "Birthday" late last fall, too late to post in the 2013 Baggins Birthday entry. I considered posting it during the intervening months, but the poem really is best suited to the day after September 22.
"Birthday" is about Bilbo, but it is just as much about Frodo, from whose point of view it is written. From that vantage point, we can enter into Frodo's thoughts and feelings, marveling as much at the beauty of his soul as that of the beloved hobbit he both mourns and celebrates.
A blessed birthday to you, Bilbo and Frodo, and may we meet beyond the Circles of the World.
~*~
~*~
Most recent Frodo entry:
Other Links:
Happy Late Birthday, Bilbo and Frodo....
I have said this is a new poem, but technically it is not. Jan-u-wine wrote "Birthday" late last fall, too late to post in the 2013 Baggins Birthday entry. I considered posting it during the intervening months, but the poem really is best suited to the day after September 22.
"Birthday" is about Bilbo, but it is just as much about Frodo, from whose point of view it is written. From that vantage point, we can enter into Frodo's thoughts and feelings, marveling as much at the beauty of his soul as that of the beloved hobbit he both mourns and celebrates.
A blessed birthday to you, Bilbo and Frodo, and may we meet beyond the Circles of the World.
Birthday
How might I forget?
How might I forget:
the very trees remind me,
burnt orange-red,
swift-falling leaves
fiercely recalling
the waist-coat he especially wore
in autumn,
the smudge-black of shadow'd bark
recollecting his quick,
clever eyes.
How might I forget
when I hear his voice,
calling within
the fading of the day,
rose clouds surrendering
to moon-graced night,
a little wind
whispering
among the waves
of an unseen shore.
Even the green of the grasses,
deep along the curve of a sundered road,
remind me of him,
even the silent glint of a solitary star
or the kindly song of a stream,
laughing along its course.
How might I forget?
And yet, I have.
I
did.
__________________________________
The road is deep in warm-autumn dust,
trees fragile with faded leaves,
falling with gentle sorrow where now he rests.
I stay for a while beside him,
though he has gone.
I stay for a while,
my mind strayed to other times,
other places.
His old walking stick lies,
crooked,
upon the ground
at my side,
the carved bowl of his favorite pipe,
skin-warmed,
within my hand.
Forgive me, Uncle.
I did not remember the day.
Rather,
I sought out,
in my grief,
all of them,
all of them
we shared.
Each moment of them,
an Adventure,
each hour a schooling
of heart and mind,
each day a
birth day.
Thank you, Uncle.
Never shall I forget
our
birth days.
* Drawings by Alan Lee, from headings of chapters 1 and 2 of The Hobbit (Houghton Mifflin, 1997).
Most recent Frodo entry:
~ "Hope" by jan-u-wine, art by John Cockshaw.
Other Links:
~ All entries featuring jan-u-wine's poems.
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Frodo has so much to forget before he can be at peace and finally leave Arda himself. A birthday is of no great importance as long as he is reminded of Bilbo’s voice, his eyes, even his waistcoat, by everything around him.
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And yet, we should not like the Elven gift either, I daresay.
As the autumn deepens, may we find comfort in knowing that time itself does not stop. It goes irresistibly forward and we struggle and heal and continue, as we are meant to. In the future we find beauty and reasons, still, for being and doing, for living.
Even tho it is months yet til Christmas, I'll just say it now: God bless us, every one! ~ not-so-tiny-Jan
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Even tho it is months yet til Christmas, I'll just say it now: God bless us, every one! ~ not-so-tiny-Jan
Guess what? Did I already tell you? There was a therapy dog at the Veteran's Home yesterday, the place where Glen's dad is, such an incredibly cute, happy and friendly little dog, and what was his name? "Tiny Tim." Charles Dickens, may you and your characters live on and on.
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I do hope you are doing well!
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I love the phrase "moon-graced night."
This is a poem I will try to keep with me--a lesson in how to move past grief through gratitude for the time you had with the lost one.
Alan Lee is good at evoking this feeling, Mechtild--a sadness with more joy in it.
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And the Lee pictures, which Mechtild choose: nothing might have suited better, I think.
since we've begun our journey here, it has become more and more evident the power that proper pictures and proper words, together, have. It's one of those pairing that geometrically grows in strength because of the union. Hats off to Mechtild for her wonderful choices. And thank *you* for visiting. I hope the job goeth well!
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A breath of fresh air ~~~~
enjoyed the artwork very much as well -- dear Alan Lee !!
My favorite moments in the Poem--
"fiercely recalling "
"calling within the fading of the day " is very beautiful and
"rose clouds surrendering to moon-graced night "
---so very lovely !
also -- "among the waves of an unseen shore"
-- it is amazing how very evocative just a few well-chosen
word can be.
The font used for BIRTHDAY very atmospheric ----forgive me , this is a little disjointed --I'm tired, but happier for having read the lovely birthday poem ---thank you both very much.
Love from Mary
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Re: A breath of fresh air ~~~~
I hope you are finding many moments of 'fresh air', many moments of quiet that is simply that, of deep and sweet sleep, of calm and peace.
The other day, on opening the desk, I came upon the *trove* of poems you had commented on and sent back to me in the mail. Now, there's an email cache, too, but nothing is quite like getting something like that in the mail. There they are, bound up in ribbon, gifts always. Thank you.
Thank you, too, for stopping in to read this offering. It very much does my heart good to know that you like it.
I was commenting to Mechtild the other day that I loved the font, too. Very important, all the visual aspects, and I believe that Mechtild hit the notes perfectly.
Thank you, both, my friends.
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birth day.
What a glorious thought. This is the most loving whole-heart tribute that Frodo could make, in all its quiet love of nature, landscape and little things, a song of the very qualities that Bilbo had and awoke in him. At Bilbo's side, discovery was a constant, the years a continual conversation of the richness and magic in life. Their life together was unplanned and yet it was the saving of them both, a daily gift. The ache of separation is the measure of that love. But there is no loss here. Frodo sees, hears and feels with and for Bilbo still.
Thanks, Jan, for this wonderful poem, and Mechtild for bringing it to us. Part of an amazing cycle of work we have been so lucky to experience xxx
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"Their life together was unplanned and yet it was the saving of them both, a daily gift. The ache of separation is the measure of that love. But there is no loss here. Frodo sees, hears and feels with and for Bilbo still."
Thank you so much for this eloquent and perceptive comment, ASD. :)
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We're so fortunate to be a part of the tale, to be able to voice our wonder and our love.
I'm so grateful to share the journey with you, and to know that when i throw a bit into the tapestry, you are there, beside me. What more could I ever ask?
thank you!
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Words only a poet can say.
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Seize all of them, squeeze them, run over them with your car, juice 'em into your life-glass!
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Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
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Hello Again
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Writing is a great boon to me, a great source of joy in my life. I hope that I'll be playing with words for a while yet!
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on "Happy Late Birthday, Bilbo and Frodo"
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Re: on "Happy Late Birthday, Bilbo and Frodo"
Jan-u-wine is a sterling Tolkien-based writer and I have loved presenting her work. If you have been using the link to all her poems featured in posts on Mechtild (the link at the bottom of the page, below the poem and illustration, also on the right in the side bar menu), you will see what a treasure trove is here. I am so glad we have given you pleasure!
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Poetry is difficult, I think, for many people to read and understand, to say nothing of reading, understanding and *loving* when your native language is not English (your English is fine, and very understandable!)
Thank you for reading and I am so happy that you enjoyed and even happier that you *waved* at us!
(and I think Mechtild choose THE perfect drawing to accompany the poem!)
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It's a masterpiece.
I can't tell you how much I missed you your posts and Jan's poems.
Thank you so much, my dear.
Now I'm back and there's a lot to read it seems. So you will see me now and then.
Happy new year to you, my dear! I know it will be a wonderful one, as wonderful as life is.
Love,
Julchen
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Hugs,
Mechtild
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*hugs tight*