The Lord of the Rings. J. R. R. Tolkien

Eärendil was a mariner

       that tarried in Arvernien;

       he built a boat of timber felled

       in Nimbrethil to journey in;

       her sails he wove of silver fair,

       of silver were her lanterns made,

       her prow he fashioned like a swan,

       and light upon her banners laid.

       In panoply of ancient kings,

       in chainéd rings he armoured him;

       his shining shield was scored with runes

       to ward all wounds and harm from him;

       his bow was made of dragon-horn,

       his arrows shorn of ebony,

       of silver was his habergeon,

       his scabbard of chalcedony;

       his sword of steel was valiant,

       of adamant his helmet tall,

       an eagle-plume upon his crest,

       upon his breast an emerald.

       Beneath the Moon and under star

       he wandered far from northern strands,

       bewildered on enchanted ways

       beyond the days of mortal lands.

       From gnashing of the Narrow Ice

       where shadow lies on frozen hills,

       from nether heats and burning waste

       he turned in haste, and roving still

       on starless waters far astray

       at last he came to Night of Naught,

       and passed, and never sight he saw

       of shining shore nor light he sought.

       The winds of wrath came driving him,

       and blindly in the foam he fled

       from west to east, and errandless,

       unheralded he homeward sped.

       There flying Elwing came to him,

       and flame was in the darkness lit;

       more bright than light of diamond

       the fire upon her carcanet.

       The Silmaril she bound on him

       and crowned him with the living light,

       and dauntless then with burning brow

       he turned his prow; and in the night

       from Otherworld beyond the Sea

       there strong and free a storm arose,

       a wind of power in Tarmenel;

       by paths that seldom mortal goes

       his boat it bore with biting breath

       as might of death across the grey

       and long-forsaken seas distressed:

       from east to west he passed away.

       Through Evernight he back was borne

       on black and roaring waves that ran

       o’er leagues unlit and foundered shores

       that drowned before the Days began,

       until he heard on strands of pearl

       where ends the world the music long,

       where ever-foaming billows roll

       the yellow gold and jewels wan.

       He saw the Mountain silent rise

       where twilight lies upon the knees

       of Valinor, and Eldamar

       beheld afar beyond the seas.

       A wanderer escaped from night

       to haven white he came at last,

       to Elvenhome the green and fair

       where keen the air, where pale as glass

       beneath the Hill of Ilmarin

       a-glimmer in a valley sheer

       the lamplit towers of Tirion

       are mirrored on the Shadowmere.

       He tarried there from errantry,

       and melodies they taught to him,

       and sages old him marvels told,

       and harps of gold they brought to him.

       They clothed him then in elven-white,

       and seven lights before him sent,

       as through the Calacirian

       to hidden land forlorn he went.

       He came unto the timeless halls

       where shining fall the countless years,

       and endless reigns the Elder King

       in Ilmarin on Mountain sheer;

       and words unheard were spoken then

       of folk of Men and Elven-kin,

       beyond the world were visions showed

       forbid to those that dwell therein.

       A ship then new they built for him

       of mithril and of elven-glass

       with shining prow; no shaven oar

       nor sail she bore on silver mast:

       the Silmaril as lantern light

       and banner bright with living flame

       to gleam thereon by Elbereth

       herself was set, who thither came

       and wings immortal made for him,

       and laid on him undying doom,

       to sail the shoreless skies and come

       behind the Sun and light of Moon.

       From Evereven’s lofty hills