The Trees of Kortirion

The Trees of Kortirion was a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Several versions of the poem exist, the earliest dating from November 1915, entitled Kortirion among the Trees., Letter 3 In 1937, Tolkien undertook a major revision of the poem. The final version appears to have been composed "nearly half a century after" 1915., Vol. I: , I: "The Cottage of Lost Play": "Notes and Commentary", pgs. 32-43
Tolkien considered refurbishing the poem to be included in but it was too long and ambitious and stood different from the others. It was omitted along with The Dragon's Visit, and replaced by three poems from ., Introduction
Three different versions of the poem were published in : a pre-1937 version, the 1937 revision, and the final version.
== Poem excerpt ==
===(i) Alalminorë===
O ancient city on a leaguered hill!
Old shadows linger in your broken gate,
your stones are grey, your old halls now are still,
your towers silent in the mist await 
their crumbling end, while through the storeyed elms
the River Gliding leaves these inland realms
and slips between long meadows to the Sea,
still bearing down by weir and murmuring fall
one day and then another to the Sea;
and slowly thither many days have gone
since first the Edain built Kortirion.
Kortirion! Upon your island hill
with winding streets, and alleys shadow-walled
where even now the peacocks pace in drill
majestic, sapphirine and emerald,
once long ago amid this sleeping land
of silver rain, where still year-laden stand
in un forgetful earth the rooted trees
that cast long shadows in the bygone noon,
and whispered in the swiftly passing breeze,
once long ago, Queen of the Land of Elms,
High City were you of the Inland Realms.
[...]
== External links ==
*THE TOLKIEN SOCIETY - Kortirion among trees the Trees: the influence of Warwick on J.R.R. Tolkien's vision of Middle-earth (PDF) by Lynn Forest-Hill
== References ==
Category:Poems in The Book of Lost Tales