Poetic Forms card, N31, Acrostic: To Grow and be Glad

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Challenge: Poetic Forms, N31, Acrostic
Author: Azalais
Title: To Grow and be Glad
Format: Drabble poem (acrostic)
Genre: poetry
Characters: Legolas
Summary: "And I," said Legolas, "shall walk in the woods of this fair land, which is rest enough. In days to come, if my Elven-lord allows, some of our folk shall remove hither; and when we come it shall be blessed, for a while."

To Grow and be Glad

Leaves tremble in hesitant welcome, releasing sweet pungent scents as he brushes through them;

Elves have not been seen in Gondor’s desolate garden for an Age.

Gently he moves among tamarisks and bay-trees, murmuring reassurance, stroking bark and branch.

Orcs have despoiled here for savagery’s sake, hacked and broken, poisoned earth and water;

Long this fair land has lain uncared-for, frontier and battle-ground of Men.

A little time, he vows, till by his lord’s leave his folk follow him from his northern forests;

Soon by Yavanna’s blessing, with Wood-elves’ love and labour, shall Ithilien be fair and whole once more.

~~~

Comments

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh well done! I found this hard - couldn't manage both the form and a drabble.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

It wasn't going to be a drabble originally - it was much sparser and each line was only about half the length. But then I tried a process pretty much the reverse of my usual drabble-writing - a few words here, more there - and got there without, I hope, it feeling too obviously padded out. I was interested to note that as the lines got longer they also got more alliterative...

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

That is lovely - I am in awe of the poetry writing skills in my friends list.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was quite excited by the Poetic Forms bingo card, I must admit - despite not knowing what half the prompts even are! I think I might try and complete the whole card after B2MEM is up regardless, just for the challenge :-)

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Nice job here! Legolas really comes through your words, as well as the desolation that the orcs left of fair Ithilien.

- Erulisse (one L)

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Well, I have a bit of a Thing, as you'll remember from Powers, about Legolas wanting to heal Ithilien after the War. I initially tried a completely different acrostic, but it wouldn't come, and then Himself popped his head in...

[engarian.livejournal.com]

How could I not remember Powers? One of my absolute favorite storylines :-)

- Erulisse (one L)

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

It's such a hopeful time, when the healing of the land can begin. I love Legolas's plans.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The dawn of the Fourth Age must have been full of hope, I think.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Very nice.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Pretty, and well-crafted. I especially like the first line.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I was reasonably pleased with how it came out in the end.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

Lovely!

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Thanks :-)

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, here is the land he finds himself drawn to. Near his friend among Men, near the Sea but not too near, close enough he will be able to visit with his friend among Dwarves....

He has indeed found his proper home--for now.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Indeed. "Close to great Anduin that leads to the sea..." And by the end of LoTR his bonds with Aragorn and Gimli are, as you say, so strong that the idea of being closer to them must have been very appealing.