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I Sit and Think


I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.
I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see.

For still there are so many things that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring there is a different green.
I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago,
and people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.

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Comments

1 - 12 of 12
  • so far I've really admire your work..this piece really shows vivid images as if I'm really there..to feel and see everything through your eyes..-Lieu

  • silvie
    March 6
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    Absolutely wonderful poem.
    What more is there to say?


  • December 4, 2007
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    a really great poem

    From guest ET (contact)
    That is such an awesome poem!!! I had to pick a poem to memorize and read in front of my whole grade, and I picked this one because I just love it !!!!


  • September 25, 2007
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    My thoughts on I sit and think

    From guest Kendrick Hardin (contact)
    this, like every poem of tolkiens, i love it is my second favorite only beat by annabell leee ,by edger allen poe, i lopve it becouse of many reason one mabey becouse of the things it implyes, tho i am only a highschooler i still understand, o and btw i love the site


  • July 29, 2007
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    From guest Merenwen (contact)
    i very like tolkiens poems and books


  • February 22, 2007
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    From guest Emma (contact)
    It sends a chill through my heart, and yet it leaves me hopeful. My favorite of his.


  • February 12, 2007
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    returning feet and voices at the door

    From guest Lauren OakenBaum (contact)
    Remember that Bilbo was old and the adventure was going on without him when he sang this. If you are young the allusion of the returning feet and voices at the door may be lost on you, but when you are old and your children are gone. Following their own path, "down from the hill, where it began".....then the lonliness of old age can suddenly burst into warmth at the return of your children, or old friends. You do sit and listen for the sound of returning feet and voices at the door. I have read the LOTR over twentyfive times. It never gets old.


  • November 13, 2006
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    From guest Psiquisirreal (contact)
    So many times I sit, watch the horizon and think about things like this. About past, future, and people... Possibilities. That's my reason to love this poem.

  • merryismyactualname
    September 25, 2006
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    amazing

    i was named after a character from this book. everytime i have read it over the years, this poem has jumped out at me. i'm not going to decipher the techniques he used, just say that it's a poem with soul. pleasant, yet haunting.

  • daffodils
    June 22, 2006
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    nice but...

    I dont really get the last part when he listens for returning feet and voices at the door. but still i like all the expressions and settings


  • rufina caraid Moderators member
    March 25, 2006
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    http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/13228
    this is the link for Bilbos Last Song

    I have checked on various web sites, however if you can give me a link to an official source I would be happy to re-check.
    Thank you for your interest.

    Von

  • Bobo the Girl
    March 24, 2006
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    Um, this poem is titled wrong. In the LOTR index of poems and verses in the book, it's called "Bilbo's Song"


  • Claide
    January 11, 2006
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    Right. Much of it probably depended on the time period (flower might have been pronounced much more like a one syllable word). Also, for anyone analyzing something in meter, you suppose to render to exceptions (example - hour and fire can both be used as one or two syllable words depending on how they fall in the line metrically:

    The fire swallowed every picture frame (to flow, you would read fire as two syllables - [fie-er])

    The fire is hot; the ground is right,
    we'll tell our tales of old tonight.
    (in this, the reader would slur 'fire' to make it one syllable - [fier]

    That gives leeway to the writer when it comes to meter - and, a good reader will catch on so that the poem will keep its steady flow .

  • Frodofan
    January 11, 2006
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    Weird. That's kind of interesting though. Some people's meter may be different depending on how they pronounce things...


  • Claide
    January 9, 2006
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    Something I've noted about tolkien's 'flower' - he considered it one syllable (more like flow'r). In every poem that he uses it it's that way.


  • buggirl
    April 2, 2004
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    ooh, love this poem! I think i've heard it once before, but can't remember where. I like the repeating line, 'I sit beside the fire and think.' The entire poem also has a wonderful flow and meaning.

    Jen

  • Elruwen
    April 2, 2004
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    I love this poem. it is my favorite poem that Tolkien wrote. i like how it starts out with the many things that he has seen or done, but after a while remember that there are many many things that he still has yet to do. it reminds me of hobbits and i love hobbits. i just thinks that it is a wonderfull poem!

  • maru
    November 29, 2003
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    Wise is Bilbo after all his adventure has passed by!!! Who would have thought that the magic ring presented in The Hobbit would bring so much trouble in LOTR to young Frodo??? (and not only him, but all Middle Earth!!)
    Love this piece!!!

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