Here are the first of Ms. Underhill's sonnets for The Two Towers in text-only form.
Click on the Sonnet/Image links to go to the page containing the full image with the poetry (images coming soon!)
Sonnet Index - click on links
The Fall
a Sonnet by Frodo Baggins
A blinding rage consumes my mind. I burn
with fury never felt within my heart
before this searing anger struck to turn
my tortured soul and tear my mind apart.
Within my grasp I see the wretch that brought
me to this fearsome state. I see the beast
and press my blade to pierce its throat. It's caught
beneath me, loathsome creature, I shall feast
upon its heart. It pleads and begs, it weeps
then cries a name. It sheds a tear, then fear
and dread replace my rage. Confusion seeps
into my heart and part of me is near
to panic as I see Sam pressed by Sting
and know I've fallen to the evil Ring.
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The Last Breath
The final thoughts of Haldir
We came when hope was lost. We came so men
could see that what once was could be again.
We came with pride and simple grace to fight
beside the men of Earth against such might
that evil threw upon their gates. We came
with speed and armed for war in fear the name
of Saruman would stretch great death across
the world of men and there would be such loss
that even time would not erase the scar.
We fought beside them in our final war
it seems, for now we fall, and Elven blood
is mixed with that of Orc and men and mud.
I fail and fall among my kindred, breath
and life have left us all. Is this then death?
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The Black Gate
A sonnet by Frodo Baggins
My breath burns in my chest, my legs are weak,
the gates that bar our passage to Mount Doom
are spread across the valley where we peek
with wonder at how broad and black they loom.
In my despair I turn to see Sam fall
before the eyes of evil men who pass.
I leap to him, we huddle there quite small,
unseen beneath my Elvish cloak. Men mass
into the opened gate. We jump to run
but rough hands catch me. Caught within that grasp
I cannot follow them because of one
who weeps in mindless fear and seeks to gasp
and plead that yet there is another way,
and so we'll wait to go another day.
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The Lust Within
A sonnet by Gríma Wormtongue
I watch her move with easy grace, her face
so fair it takes my breath and golden hair
that falls like lace so fine that I'd not dare
to lay a hand upon it. Yet I chase
her every step with but my eyes, and sore
I crave to trace the angle of her chin
and lay her shoulders bare, for lust within
me burns my core and ever I want more
to tear her from this place and bear her to
somewhere that I can be the one rare love
that she has sought and I can care above
all else for her and her alone. I do
so crave her sweet embrace though she cares not
for me, yet in my lair she'll soon be caught.
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The Jewel
A sonnet by Legolas
Across the hill I see them come, the wargs
of Isengard, with filthy orcs upon
their backs, as still we guard against attacks
on simple folk within our care, with skill
of bow and blade and axe. The fight is fierce
as arrows pierce both friend and foe and blood
flows freely on the plain. Thus so, we drive
the beasts away then seek our fallen friends
to bind their wounds or ease their ends, but naught
is seen of my friend sworn, there is no trace
of Aragorn. An orc lies gasping in
the dust and laughs with rasping, ragged breath
of my friend's death which I'd not feign believe
but for the jewel caught that he'd not leave.
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The Kiss
A sonnet by Aragorn
I float within an endless dream that seems
so real I fear to wake for in my heart
we'll never part. Sweet silver moonlight gleams
upon her sable tresses as we start
with soft caresses to avow our love,
when then I'm in an icy stream, the dream
a link o'er time and space that hangs above
my frigid face a visage that I deem
is more than real. I cannot wake and flow
in silence 'til I hear her softly call
and feel her lips so gently pressed and know
that somewhere in my mind I see that all
which passes is not truth, for Arwen's left
and here I must remain, my love bereft.
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Despair
A sonnet by Legolas
I hear the roar of many voices, feel
the thunder in the ground for very near
their army comes to steal away what cheer
remains within the stronghold's deep. Last meal
long past, the night grows fast, in fright they wait
to meet their fate, young faces white with dread
and old ones grim with fear, all know they're dead
this very night. To face the thousands fate
demands they shed no tear but take a spear
and guard the wall. They cannot fall or all
they've known will end so here they stand to stall
the flood of Sauruman, they stand, this mere
few hundred men to save the hall, they dare
to stand and so they vanquish my despair.
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Frodo's Hope
A sonnet by Samwise Gamgee
I watch him move, I hear him speak and see
him change in bits and bounds as ever more
we seek to find our way around, and he
grows strange before my eyes as if he bore
a great and evil weight, and weak he grows
with each small step and my poor heart just breaks
to see the pain he shows and grief he knows
still lies before him on this quest. He takes
this sneak along with us, who tries to prove
he is our friend but trust me he will be
our end if we don't mind his every move.
I know his kind, he'll find a way that we
won't see, for Frodo's heart grows blind to him,
it seems to me, as Frodo's hope grows dim.
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Amber Eyes
A sonnet by Peregrin Took
We run in fear from nasty orcs who'd feast
upon our Hobbit legs but for the one
who stood them down. We run in fear, a beast
behind us, panting hard as quick we run
into the dark and musty woods and leave
the orcs behind to die upon the spears
of men, but still there's one who sees us weave
amongst the trees and as we run he nears
to me and so we climb a tree to flee,
but Merry's caught and as he falls I call
to him then my breath stalls, for there I see
great amber eyes that gaze at me. I fall
and shriek with my last breath for death I fear
has come at last for me and Merry here.
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The Tree
A sonnet by Meriadoc Brandybuck
I've fallen hard upon my back, the crack
I heard could be my bones upon the stones
or twigs upon the ground. 'Twas quite a smack,
I can't attack the orc whose voice with tones
of malice now predicts my easy death.
He stands above me in a rage, the stage
is set for me to die. I hold my breath
and see above a huge tree beast then wage
a war upon my foe and lo I see
within its grasp poor Pippin urging that
I flee, though I'm soon caught up by the tree
and quickly learn that it will squish us flat
if we are orcs as it first thought and so
we'll travel with this Ent where it may go.
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The Lord of Horses
A sonnet by Gandalf the White
I call for him when I'm in need, a steed
so grand that in this land no other can
keep to his pace. He comes to me with speed
undreamt but will not bear the hand of man.
No leather cinch nor cold steel bit is fit
to lay upon his flesh, no iron shoe
upon his hoof, no saddle will there sit
across his back, yet he will run all through
the night and never falter, never rest.
No tack or halter will he wear, this lord
of horses, my true friend, who gives his best
each time I call. He'd fall upon a sword
for me and Shadowfax will gladly leap
into the fray, no fear, no price too steep.
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The Precious
A sonnet by Gollum
They took it from me, filthy hobbits, took
my precious, took it far, and long I've tried
to find the precious, many nights I've cried
for it. The filthy thieves who stole it look
to me to be asleep and so I'll sneak
down to the hobbits, creep down slowly, take
it back. I hates them, hates them, I should break
their filthy neck-ses, first I need to peek
to see them, spy them sleeping on the ground.
They have my precious, I can feel it call
for me to take it back. I wants to maul
them, wants to kill them, quickly now no sound
to wake them, take the precious, take it back.
I'll sneak up on them Precious, then attack.
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The Crystal Prison
A sonnet by Frodo Baggins
It's cold behind the crystal curtain, cold
and dark with little comfort, cold and stark
this cave, this prison, with no hint of spark
or flame. We're caught and there's no blame to hold,
we're caught and though brave Sam has told me "Go!",
it's not a choice that I can take. We came
so close, we came so far, and now this game
they make us play we cannot win. I've no
faint hope this brother plays another way,
and with the day I'll wake to find him take
the ring, for why should he now act to break
the mold his sibling cast. So here we stay,
caught in this cold and moldy cave, behind
a crystal curtain with no hope to find.
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Ghosts of War
A sonnet by Frodo Baggins
I walk alone though Sam is with me, through
the water, through the flames, and stumble on
with weary legs where men and elves have gone
before, where men and elves have fallen to
the stinking land and deadly bog. I walk
as though I'm in a fog. I hear them call,
the ghosts of war. I hear them call and fall
too quickly to their subtle spell. They stalk
me now, they draw me under and they reach
with claw like hands to drag me down, to pull
me deeper, eyeless faces, dark and full
of hate and fear, so near, they seek to leech
the life from me. Then by a hand I am
pulled free. Sam came for me...wait no, not Sam!
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No Lies
A sonnet by Éowyn
I see his eyes, the dwarf whose eyes no lies
can pass, and know the words I fear to ask
need not be said, for He is dead. He cries
no tears, though weeps inside and now this task
to say He's died, he cannot put aside.
My heart is breaking for at last I thought
I'd found the man with whom I could abide,
both smart and sound, a man who would have fought
beside me, not behind and not before
me, as an equal, not a master. Brave
he was and fair, and now he is no more.
I see his eyes, the dwarf, and cannot save
his pain or task, for I must ask, must hear
from him the dreaded news that I most fear.
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