Haiku Riddles! - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

piosenniel · 01-31-2005, 04:24 PM

Perhaps this:

The old king statue, its severed head crowned with flowers . . .

Quote:

Standing there for a moment filled with dread Frodo became aware that a light was shining; he saw it glowing on Sam's face beside him. Turning towards it, he saw, beyond an arch of boughs, the road to Osgiliath running almost as straight, as a stretched ribbon down, down, into the West. There, far away beyond sad Gondor now overwhelmed in shade, the Sun was sinking, finding at last the hem of the great slow-rolling pall of cloud, and falling in an ominous fire towards the yet unsullied sea. The brief glow fell upon a huge sitting figure, still and solemn as the great stone kings at Argonath. The years had gnawed it, and violent hands had maimed it. Its head was gone, and in its place was set in mockery a round, rough-hewn stone, rudely painted by savage hands in the likeness of a grinning face with one large red eye in the midst of its forehead. Upon its knees and mighty chair, and all about the pedestal, were idle scrawls mixed with the foul symbols that the maggot-folk of Mordor used.

Suddenly, caught by the level beams, Frodo saw the old king's head: it was lying rolled away by the roadside. 'Look, Sam!' he cried, startled into speech. 'Look! The king has got a crown again!'

– TTT, "Journey to the Cross-Roads"

Shelob · 01-31-2005, 04:35 PM

Well done!

Sorry that the rest of you did not get it, may you have better luck with Piosenniel's Haiku.

piosenniel · 02-02-2005, 12:31 PM

Fate, grace, or favour -
The way unbent is gifted.
Fair/dire . . . last sight . . .

Evisse the Blue · 02-12-2005, 08:03 AM

Frodo leaving into the West?

piosenniel · 02-12-2005, 11:47 AM

No, not Frodo leaving for the West

A hint:

The haiku is a reworking of a quote from the Silmarillion. And the 'last sight' is a thing both dreadful and beautiful seen before those graced with favor die.

Evisse the Blue · 02-12-2005, 12:40 PM

Oh, I know! The mariners who were lost at sea, searching for the Straight Road, were sometimes given a last sight of the Undying Lands, before they died.

piosenniel · 02-12-2005, 04:07 PM

Very close - but what thing exactly did they see that was both beautiful and dreadful as their last sight?

01-31-2005, 04:35 PM	#2
Shelob Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: At the abysmal Abyss Mall. Posts: 276	Well done! Sorry that the rest of you did not get it, may you have better luck with Piosenniel's Haiku. __________________ A signature always reveals a man's character - and sometimes even his name ~Evan Esar. Pan for Everyone!

02-02-2005, 12:31 PM	#3
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Fate, grace, or favour - The way unbent is gifted. Fair/dire . . . last sight . . . __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.

02-12-2005, 08:03 AM	#4
Evisse the Blue Brightness of a Blade Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: wherever I may roam Posts: 2,685	Frodo leaving into the West? __________________ And no one was ill, and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.

02-12-2005, 11:47 AM	#5
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	No, not Frodo leaving for the West A hint: The haiku is a reworking of a quote from the Silmarillion. And the 'last sight' is a thing both dreadful and beautiful seen before those graced with favor die. __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.

02-12-2005, 12:40 PM	#6
Evisse the Blue Brightness of a Blade Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: wherever I may roam Posts: 2,685	Oh, I know! The mariners who were lost at sea, searching for the Straight Road, were sometimes given a last sight of the Undying Lands, before they died. __________________ And no one was ill, and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.

02-12-2005, 04:07 PM	#7
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Very close - but what thing exactly did they see that was both beautiful and dreadful as their last sight? __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.

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