In honour of Sir Ian Holm, who played both Bilbo and Frodo during his wonderful and storied career. RIP.
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.
The Lord of the Rings, II, 3, ‘The Ring Goes South’
The Mathom-house 
This is indeed sad news. I will be watching “Fellowship of the Ring” tonight in honor. Great post as always, very heartfelt. These words are in every email I send and are my favorite passage of anything anywhere.
“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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I remember the first time those words *clicked* for me and invoked an emotional response.
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Wow, I just noticed that my copy and paste didn’t work correctly. I meant to use this… Still, I know exactly what you mean…
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.
LikeLiked by 2 people