Words beneath a dappled sky

My time with you seems now an
Unreachable glory of the past,
A work of minstrels and mages.

Two more for Sam, left behind to make his life with his family and not without memories of his own.

A Rose for the Master
( I hope wherever he's gone to now, There are roses in the spring )
-
I Have Held
( I have held this hour in my hands )
-

He said I was meant to be whole,
And that wholeness surrounds me;
I must find a way to soak it into my heart.

And finally - "I'm back"....

This brings the 'story' to its ending for my poetry listings that follow the events of the books in order, but there are a handful more to follow, some observations, thoughts and bits from the appendices.

Back Home
( Entering, I gather her in )
-

Smaller verses for a welcome cart coming over the Hill.

Frodo, Laughing
( The sound of innocence )
Then to the welcome fireside - there is nothing like very old friends:

Very Old Friend
( He clasps his warm and gnarled hands, )

Slightly chilling.

Title: Inheritance
Characters: Frodo, Merry, Otho and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
Wordcount: 1273
Summary: A somewhat disturbing short story, musing on what might have happened if important papers had fallen in the wrong hands the night of the Birthday Party.
A/N: Honourable Mention, MEFA 2006

( The judge’s gavel fell with a final thump. )

Because Tolkien tells us in the intervening years, 'nothing of note' happened.

Might as well kick off this listing with the behemoth that started it all (yes, I went from mostly just writing poetry to deciding to write a 'story' to it turning into a novel that took a year and a half to finish - I've since learned to yank on the Muse's reins a little better). This led to my discovery of ff.net and other jolly places for writers.

Title: Nothing of Note
Wordcount: 171,634 (or thereabouts)
Summary: Bilbo Baggins faces his 98th year with a local adventure that leads to his eventual selection and adoption of an heir.

At Stories of Arda:
http://storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=3900

Or here it is at fanfiction.net, if you prefer:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2405289/1/Nothing_of_Note

Like the later Stone of Erebor this was one of my "gapfiller" pet projects, a look at the process that led up to Bilbo deciding to make the (rather notable) step of choosing an heir, then following through with it. It is Bilbo-centric and includes an extended spring journey to the three Towers and back again, as well as an interlude in Buckland, a Dwarvish visit and other events, all within the bounds of the Shire.

I have intent to eventually go back through and provide some much-needed editing, but for now it has to wait. Fair warning, this is a whopping 70 chapters plus an Epilogue.