Carcharoth, the Red Maw

Him Carcharoth, the Red Maw, name
the songs of Elves. Not yet he came
disastrous, ravening, from the gates
of Angband. There he sleepless waits;
where those great portals threatening loom
his red eyes smoulder in the gloom,
his teeth are bare, his jaws are wide;
and none may walk; nor creep, nor glide,
nor thrust with power his menace past
to enter Morgoth's dungeon vast.
Now, lo! Before his watchful eyes
a slinking shape he far descries
that crawls into the frowning plain
and halts at gaze, then on again
comes stalking near, a wolvish shape
haggard, wayworn, with jaws agape;
and o'er it batlike in wide rings
a reeling shadow slowly wings.
Such shapes there oft were seen to roam,
this land their native haunt and home;
and yet his mood with strange unease
is filled, and boding thoughts him seize.

(lines 3,714-3,735)

The Geste of Beren and LĂșthien
by J.R.R. Tolkien

2 comments:

Emmy said...

I just love your blog! I just learned about the Inklings this year in my English class (we were reading That Hideous Strength by C.S.Lewis) and about a month afterwards, I found your blog! Its awesome how dedicated you are to this organization! Please keep it up!!!

Arborfield said...

My pleasure Emmy...