In Dedication to J.R.R Tolkien and The Hobbit

Far over the Mist Mountains cold,

to dungeons deep and caverns old,

We must away ere break of day,

To seek the pale enchanted gold . . .

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,

While hammers fell like ringing bells

In places deep, where dark things sleep,

In hollow halls beneath the fells.

For ancient king and elvish lord

There many a gleaming golden hoard

They shaped and wrought, and light they caught

To hide in gems on hilt of sword.

On silver necklaces they strung

The flowering stars, on crowns they hung

The dragon-fire, in twisted wire

They meshed the light of moon and sun.

                                                      Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day,

To claim our long-forgotten gold.

Goblets they carved there for themselves

And harps of gold; where no man delves

There lay they long, and many a song

Was sung unheard by men or elves.

The pines were roaring on the height,

The winds were moaning in the night.

The fire was red, it flaming spread;

The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale

And men looked up with faces pale;

The dragon's ire more fierce than fire

Laid low their towers and houses frail.

                                                 The mountain smoked beneath the moon;

The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.

They fled their hall to dying fall

Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

Far over the misty mountains grim

To dungeons deep and caverns dim

We must away, ere break of day

To win our harps and gold from him!

This post is a few days late, but I wanted to show my appreciation for the old scholar in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of The Hobbit. 

Tolkien is one of my greatest inspirations and the Lonely Mountain song which the dwarves sung for Bilbo in The Hobbit is my all-time favorite ballad composed by the professor. The world would be very different had he not decided to share his tale of an old wizard, some disgruntled dwarves, a treacherous dragon, and a timid, but determined hobbit who found a magic ring which would forever alter the history of their world!