Favourite sections/paragraphs/poems

[the real findorfin]

I've been listening to the silmarillion o tape recently and have found what has to be the best poem/lay/thingy in Tolkiens works.

'The Battle between Sauron and Finrod'

He chanted a song of wizardry
of piercing opening, of treachery
revealing, uncovering, betraying
then sudden Felagund, there swaying
sang in answer, a song of staying

resisting, battling against power
of secrets kept, strength like a tower
and trust unbroken, freedom, escape
of changing, and of shifting shape
of snares alluded, broken, traps
a prison opening, the chain that snaps

Backwards and forwards swayed their song
Reeling and foundering, as ever more strong
The chanting swelled
Felagund fought, and all the magic and might he brought
of elvenesse into his words
softly in the gloom they heard the birds
singing afar in Nargothrond
the sighing of the sea beyond
beyond the western world on sand, on sand of pearl in elvenland

Then the gloom gathered
darkness growing
in Valinor the red blood flowing
beside the sea where the Noldor slew
the foamriders and stealing drew
their white ships with their white sails, from lamplit havens
the wind wails
the wolf howls
the ravens flee
the ice mutters in the mouths of the sea
the captives sad in Angband mourn
thunder rumbles, the fires burn
and Finrod fell before the throne


How cool is that. of course, much has been lost from the tape. martin Shaw reads it so perfectly that none could hope for better.

Are their any thigs like this that spark your imagination etc.