The word epiphany is derived from a Greek word meaning "to manifest, to display, to come suddenly into view," which in turn is thought to have come from an ancient Indo-European root meaning "to shine."1 For me, it conjures up images of sudden revelation -- a break in the clouds, a beam of starlight, a … Continue reading Epiphany — And a Christmas Poem!
Tag: Words
Theoden’s Charge (Original Poem)
As a challenge, I recently decided to choose a passage from a work of classic literature and re-write it in verse. Not too surprisingly, I chose J. R. R. Tolkien's The Return of the King -- the last paragraph from "The Ride of the Rohirrim." Such was Tolkien's skill that this bright scene has stamped … Continue reading Theoden’s Charge (Original Poem)
The Story-maker’s Medium
Story-making is an art, and the storyteller is an artist. Like the painter or the sculptor, the true storyteller strives to craft a thing of beauty from a particular medium. Rather than using marble or paint, the storyteller works with words. There are often many words to choose from, but he knows that each word … Continue reading The Story-maker’s Medium
Anglo-Saxon and Old Icelandic in Middle Earth
J. R. R. Tolkien loved mythology and languages, and desired to be a myth-maker himself. He set about crafting Middle Earth, a world complete with its own tongues and tales. He knew that in order to become good at something, one must learn from the masters that came before. So, he borrowed many elements from … Continue reading Anglo-Saxon and Old Icelandic in Middle Earth
The Glass Hill 