J.R.R. Tolkien’s fans would easily recognize this piece as this is can be found within the Lord Of The Rings (LOTR) The Two Towers. This Elvish song is about the longing of the Ent for their Entwives and it was sung by Treebeard to Merry and Pippin.
A little history, Ents were the Shepherds of Trees while, their mates, the Entwives were dedicated to the Queen of Earth (A.K.A. Giver of Fruits and responsible for all growing things). It was during the First or Second Age that the Entwives started to move farther away from the Ents because they liked to plant and control small things – vegetables, grass and flowers, while the Ents took care of the great forest by tending larger trees. The shrinking of the forest during the War of the Elves and Sauron solidifies their separation. Sauron destroyed the garden of the Entwives and they disappeared. The Ents look for them in vain and they sung that one day they will find each other but there is a very little hope that they survived. The Ents grew old without hope of having Entings (offspring) without the Entwives. Some grew ‘Treeish’ and ceased moving or speaking.
The story of the Ent and the Entwife has a little bearing with the story plot of LOTR yet we have this song that tugs on our heartstrings… As every other poem in LOTR, fascinating and marvelous (everything that Tolkien touches, tbh), this one fills you with a sense of both loss and hope.
ENT.
When Spring unfolds the beechen leaf, and sap is in the bough;
When light is on the wild-wood stream, and wind is on the brow;
When stride is long, and breath is deep, and keen the mountain air,
Come back to me! Come back to me, and say my land is fair!
ENTWIFE.
When Spring is come to garth and field, and corn is in the blade;
When blossom like a shining snow is on the orchard laid;
When shower and Sun upon the Earth with fragrance fill the air,
I’ll linger here, and will not come, because my land is fair.
ENT.
When Summer lies upon the world, and in a noon of gold
Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold;
When woodland halls are green and cool, and wind is in the West,
Come back to me! Come back to me, and say my land is best!
ENTWIFE.
When Summer warms the hanging fruit and burns the berry brown;
When straw is gold, and ear is white, and harvest comes to town;
When honey spills, and apple swells, though wind be in the West,
I’ll linger here beneath the Sun, because my land is best!
ENT.
When Winter comes, the winter wild that hill and wood shall slay;
When trees shall fall and starless night devour the sunless day;
When wind is in the deadly East, then in the bitter rain
I’ll look for thee, and call to thee; I’ll come to thee again!
ENTWIFE.
When winter comes, and singing ends; when darkness falls at last;
When broken is the barren bough, and light and labour past;
I’ll look for thee, and wait for thee, until we meet again:
Together we will take the road beneath the bitter rain!
BOTH.
Together we will take the road that leads into the West,
And far away will find a land where both our hearts may rest.
Believer-Ez 