The Song Of Ælfwine (compilation)

[Meneldur Olvarion]

THE SONG OF ÆLFWINE
(on seeing the uprising of Eärendel)

There lingering lights still golden lie
on grass more green than in gardens here,
On trees more tall that touch the sky
with swinging leaves of silver clear.
While world endures they will not die,
nor fade nor fall their timeless year,
As morn unmeasured passes by
o’er mead and mound and shining mere.
When endless eve undimmed is near,
o’er harp and chant in hidden choir
A sudden voice upsoaring sheer
in the wood awakes the Wandering Fire.

The Wandering Fire the woodland fills:
in glades for ever green it glows,
In dells where immortal dew distils
the Flower that in secret fragrance grows.
There murmuring the music spills,
as falling fountain plashing flows,
And water white leaps down the hills
to seek the Sea that no sail knows.
Through gleaming vales it singing goes,
where breathing keen on bent and briar
The wind beyond the world’s end blows
to living flame the Wandering Fire.

The Wandering Fire with tongues of flame
with hght there kindles quick and clear
The land of long-forgotten name:
no man may ever anchor near;
No steering star his hope may aim,
for nether Night its marches drear,
And waters wide no sail may tame,
with shores encircled dark and sheer.
Uncounted leagues it lies from here,
and foam there flowers upon the Sea
By cliffs of crystal carven clear
on shining beaches blowing free.

There blowing free unbraided hair
is meshed with beams of Moon and Sun,
And twined within those tresses fair
a gold and silver sheen is spun,
As fleet and white the feet go bare,
and lissom limbs in dances run,
Shimmering in the shining air:
such loveliness to look upon
No mortal man hath ever won,
though foam upon the furthest sea
He dared, or sought behind the Sun
for winds unearthly flowing free.

O! Shore beyond the Shadowy Sea!
O! Land where still the Edhil are!
O! Haven where my heart would be!
the waves that beat upon thy bar
For ever echo endlessly,
when longing leads my thought afar,
And rising west of West I see
beyond the world the wayward Star,
Than beacons bright in Gondobar
more clear and keen, more fair and high:
O! Star that shadow may not mar,
nor ever darkness doom to die!
___

Ælfwine (Elf-friend) was a seaman of England of old, who, being driven out to sea from the coast of Erin {ancient name of Ireland}, passed into the deep waters of the West, and according to legend by some strange chance or grace found the ‘straight road’ of the Elvenfolk and Came at last to the lsle of Eressëa in Elvenhome. Or maybe, as some say, alone in the waters, hungry and athirst, he fell into a trance and was granted a vision of that isle as it once had been, ere a West-wind arose and drove him back to Middle-earth.

Of no other man is it reported that he ever beheld Eressëa the fair. Ælfwine was never again able to rest for long on land, and sailed the westem seas until his death. Some say that his ship was wrecked upon the west shores of Erin and there his body lies; others say that at the end of his life he went forth alone into the deeps again and never returned.

It is reported that before he set out on his last voyage he spoke these verses:

Thus cwæth Ælfwine Wídlást:
Fela bith on Westwegum werum uncúthra
wundra and wihta, wlitescéne land,
eardgeard elfa, and ésa bliss.
Lýt ǽnig wát hwylc his longath síe
thám the eftsíthes eldo getwǽfeth.

"Thus said Ælfwine the far-travelled:
‘There is many a thing in the West-regions unknown to men,
marvels and strange beings, a land fair and lovely,
the homeland of the Elves, and the bliss of the Gods.
Little doth any man know what longing is his
whom old age cutteth off from return.’"
_____

Compilation of related sources for the poem variously known as "The Nameless Land" and "The Song Of Ælfwine". Ending description from final version of The Song Of Ælfwine; main poetic text from the second version. Final Old English text and translation from The Lost Road (all sources from HoME, vol 5).

[Lúthien]

Impressive.