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Before the moon arose by night
Or blazed the golden sun by day
Beneath a sky of purest black
The slumb'ring Firstborn children lay.
In awe the Lady Elbereth
Would gaze into the deepening gloom
Which, starless as the outer void,
Revealed to her an earthly doom.
"Who shall light the path of these,
The innocent which slumb'ring lie,
And shall they wake alone and meet
A silent and a lightless sky?"
Yet far above the shadowed earth,
No eye but Elbereth's could see,
There faintly twinkled lights so dim
They could not earthly beacons be.
Then raised the hands of Elbereth
With beauty, wisdom, and with grace
And out into the night walked she
As darkness fled before her face.
And, bright'ning each and every star
With joyous, fierce, and radiant fire,
She soon had caused the skies to blaze
With Lady Elbereth's desire:
That when the Firstborn should arise
At Eru's word, and, wand'ring, move
They should not find their journeys dark
But lit with lanterns high above.
Awake! O people of the One!
And rise to find the shadows less
Beneath the lamps of Elbereth
Who did with light our waking bless!
And never find yourselves alone
Or fear the dark and close of day;
For sacred lanterns in the sky
Were ancient set to light your way. |