Friday, September 19, 2008

Why can't I write like this? Oh, Tolkien, you're...you're...you are the bomb. Diggity.

(Yes, yes, it's another description. Deal with it; Tolkien is wonderful at description!!)

Sam wanted to have a song composed about his adventures with Frodo, and he got his wish! After all the pain, struggle, suffering...they listen to the song. Read this description of their response:
And all the host laughed and wept, and in the midst of their merriment and tears the clear voice of the mistrel rose like silver and gold, and all men were hushed. And he sang to them, now in Elven-tongue, now in the speech of the West, until their hearts, wounded with sweet words, overflowed, and their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought out to regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness.

Seriously...I can't have been the only one ever to have had my attention caught by these phrases!
"wounded with sweet words"
"their joy was like swords"
"where pain and delight flow together"

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Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Ballantine: New York, 1955.

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