An unearthed poem

A poem found on a scroll rescued long ago, near Annuminas.

The scroll itself is dated after the city's fall, but the poem's origin, date and author are unknown.

It can be found, displayed, in the hall of the Wyld Hunt's kinship house.

For obvious reasons, Shemkel has adopted it as a creed of sorts.

Go where those others went to the dark boundary   

for the golden fleece of nothingness your last prize

go upright among those who are on their knees

among those with their backs turned and those toppled in the dust

you were saved not in order to live

you have little time you must give testimony

be courageous when the mind deceives you be courageous   

in the final account only this is important

and let your helpless Anger be like the sea

whenever you hear the voice of the insulted and beaten

let your sister Scorn not leave you

for the informers executioners cowards—they will win

they will go to your funeral and with relief will throw a lump of earth   

the woodborer will write your smoothed-over biography

and do not forgive truly it is not in your power   

to forgive in the name of those betrayed at dawn

beware however of unnecessary pride

keep looking at your clown’s face in the mirror   

repeat: I was called—weren’t there better ones than I

beware of dryness of heart love the morning spring   

the bird with an unknown name the winter oak

light on a wall the splendour of the sky   

they don’t need your warm breath

they are there to say: no one will console you

be vigilant—when the light on the mountains gives the sign—arise and go   

as long as blood turns in the breast your dark star

repeat old incantations of  fables and legends   

because this is how you will attain the good you will not attain   

repeat great words repeat them stubbornly

like those crossing the desert who perished in the sand

and they will reward you with what they have at hand   

with the whip of laughter with murder on a garbage heap

go because only in this way will you be admitted to the company of cold skulls

to the company of your ancestors: Gil-galad Hurin Beren

the defenders of the kingdom without limit and the city of ashes

Be faithful Go

[the actual poem is called 'Envoy of Mr Cogito' and was written by Zbigniew Herbert; here I made a few small changes to make it Middle-earth-friendly; you can find the original here -> http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178191 together with information about translators, etc]