Gorlim's Fall, by Kaylee Arafinwiel (Double dribble inverted)

[kayleearafinwiel]

B2MeM Prompt, Card and Number: B14, Adjectival Alphabet
Format:  Poem (Double dribble inverted)
Genre: Poetry
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Deathfic
Characters: Gorlim the Unhappy, Eilinel the White, Sauron, Barahir
Pairings: Gorlim/Eilinel
Creator’s Notes (optional): I literally only had one prompt this time.
Summary: Gorlim wasn't very clever, was he? You shouldn't listen to Sauron's temptations, Gorlim....

Gorlim had land to farm, a pretty house, a wife;

Eilinel the White, she was beloved more than life.

But Angrim’s son swore himself to valiant Barahir,

Avenging ravaged land, Gorlim rode to war.

After Sudden Flame was done, home

Twelve left to ride.  Eilinel,

Gorlim through window spied.

Trapped and caught,

Sauron’s band

Gorlim

 

Sought

And took

Unhappy Gorlim! Wretched

Man, the broken prisoner.

Before Sauron’s throne was cast

Gorlim, Barahir’s man. “Tell me!” spoke

Sauron, eyes alight. “Where lies Barahir’s band?

Tell me, Eilinel will I return to thee!” 

Gorlim believed; and to Sauron the Dark told all; 

“Eilinel is dead - my oath holds!” Sauron slew Gorlim mockingly.

 

Comments

[senalishia]

Very neat way of telling this tragedy

[kayleearafinwiel]

Thank you, Senalishia!

[zdenka]

I like this poem! I've always felt sorry for them, Gorlim and Eilinel both.

[kayleearafinwiel]

I wasn't familiar with them until I got this prompt, but I'm very sorry for them both, for sure! Thank you!

[erulissedances]

What an interesting format. Of course, the story itself is such a tragedy, but who could blame poor Gorlim, desperately in love with Eilinel.

- Erulisse (one L)

[kayleearafinwiel]

It was Dreamflower who introduced me to both the "dribble" and "double dribble inverted" formats. :)

A dribble is a poem of ten lines, the first with ten words, the next with nine, then eight, and so on down to one - the "inverted" form then continues with one word, two on the next line and so on again back up to ten. I find they can be very expressive in so few words.

I don't think anyone could blame poor Gorlim, except perhaps himself. At least as a wraith himself, he warned Beren in a dream of the danger, and Beren luckily was away from the rest at the time of the slaughter. If Beren had been killed too, I have no idea how the history of the rest of Arda would have unfolded!