Bilbo's Last Song: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
(Complete lyrics added)
(4 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:Pauline_Baynes_-_Bilbo's_Last_Song_(with_text).jpg|thumb|225px]]
'''''Bilbo's Last Song''''' is a poem written by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. It is sung by [[Bilbo Baggins]] at the [[Grey Havens]] as he is about to leave [[Middle-earth]]. Chronologically this places it at the very end of ''[[The Return of the King]]'', the last volume of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', although it was written later than the books and never included in them.
'''''Bilbo's Last Song''''' is a poem written by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]].  


==Contents==
==The Poem==
The poem is sung by [[Bilbo Baggins]] at the [[Grey Havens]], as he is about to leave [[Middle-earth]]. Chronologically this places it at the very end of ''[[The Return of the King]]'', the last volume of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', although it was written later than the books and never included in them.
<poem style="font:italic; margin-left:20px;">
Day is ended, dim my eyes,
but journey long before me lies.
Farewell, friends! I hear the call.
The ship's beside the stony wall.
Foam is white and waves are grey;
beyond the sunset leads my way.
Foam is salt, the wind is free;
I hear the rising of the Sea.


''Day is ended, dim my eyes,'' <br>
Farewell, friends! The sails are set,
''but journey long before me lies.'' <br>
the wind is east, the moorings fret.
''Farewell, friends! I hear the call.'' <br>
Shadows long before me lie,
''The ship's beside the stony wall.'' <br>
beneath the ever-bending sky,
''Foam is white and waves are grey;'' <br>
but islands lie behind the Sun
''beyond the sunset leads my way.'' <br>
that I shall raise ere all is done;
''Foam is salt, the wind is free;'' <br>
lands there are to west of West,
''I hear the rising of the Sea.'' <br>
where night is quiet and sleep is rest.
<br>
 
''Farewell, friends! The sails are set,'' <br>
Guided by the Lonely Star,
''the wind is east, the moorings fret.'' <br>
beyond the utmost harbour-bar
''Shadows long before me lie,'' <br>
I'll find the havens fair and free,
''beneath the ever-bending sky,'' <br>
and beaches of the Starlit Sea.
''but islands lie behind the Sun'' <br>
Ship, my ship! I seek the West,
''that I shall raise ere all is done;'' <br>
and fields and mountains ever blest.
''lands there are to west of West,'' <br>
Farewell to Middle-Earth at last.
''where night is quiet and sleep is rest.'' <br>
I see the Star above your mast!
<br>
</poem>
''Guided by the Lonely Star,'' <br>
''beyond the utmost harbour-bar,'' <br>
''I'll find the havens fair and free,'' <br>
''and beaches of the Starlit Sea.'' <br>
''Ship, my ship! I seek the West,'' <br>
''and fields and mountains ever blest.'' <br>
''Farewell to Middle-earth at last.'' <br>
''I see the Star above my mast!'' <br>


==History==
==History==
Line 41: Line 40:
In [[1990]] the text was finally published in book form by Unwin Hyman, re-illustrated by Baynes.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=61220|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song. 1990|dated=|website=TB|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> New editions appeared in [[2002]] (Hutchinson, hardcover),<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=61240|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song. 2002|dated=|website=TB|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> and [[2012]] (Red Fox/Random House, paperback).<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/bilbos-last-song/9780099439752|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song|dated=|website=[http://www.randomhouse.co.uk RandomHouse.co.uk]|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref>
In [[1990]] the text was finally published in book form by Unwin Hyman, re-illustrated by Baynes.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=61220|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song. 1990|dated=|website=TB|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> New editions appeared in [[2002]] (Hutchinson, hardcover),<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=61240|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song. 2002|dated=|website=TB|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> and [[2012]] (Red Fox/Random House, paperback).<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/bilbos-last-song/9780099439752|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song|dated=|website=[http://www.randomhouse.co.uk RandomHouse.co.uk]|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref>


The song was recorded by [[The Hobbitons]] on their CD '''J.R.R. Tolkien's Songs from Middle-earth'''.  
In 1996 the song was recorded by the [[Unquendor|Dutch Tolkien Society]] band [[The Hobbitons]], with permission from the [[Tolkien Estate]], for their CD ''J.R.R. Tolkien's Songs from Middle-earth''.<ref>{{webcite|website=[http://web.archive.org/web/20021210152658/http://home.wxs.nl/~hobbiton/home.html The Hobbitons] (via [http://www.archive.org Internet Archive]) |articlename=Our CD|articleurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20021207123849/home.wxs.nl/~hobbiton/OURCD.HTM|accessed=27 May 2014}}</ref>


The copyright of the poem was given by Tolkien to Hill together with the poem itself. Upon her death in 1991, Hill gave the copyright to the [[Wikipedia:Order of the Holy Paraclete|Order of the Holy Paraclete]]. Baynes's illustrations for ''Bilbo's Last Song'' were not included in the bequeathing to the Order, but were given the [[Wikipedia:Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford|Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford]] upon her death in 2008.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Wayne G. Hammond]], [[Christina Scull]]|articleurl=http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mythsoc/conversations/messages/25132|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song and the Order of the Holy Paraclete (message 25132)|dated=7 March 2014|website=Mythsoc|accessed=16 March 2014}}</ref>
The copyright of the poem was given by Tolkien to Hill together with the poem itself. Upon her death in 1991, Hill gave the copyright to the [[Wikipedia:Order of the Holy Paraclete|Order of the Holy Paraclete]]. Baynes's illustrations for ''Bilbo's Last Song'' were not included in the bequeathing to the Order, but were given the [[Wikipedia:Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford|Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford]] upon her death in 2008.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Wayne G. Hammond]], [[Christina Scull]]|articleurl=http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mythsoc/conversations/messages/25132|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song and the Order of the Holy Paraclete (message 25132)|dated=7 March 2014|website=Mythsoc|accessed=16 March 2014}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Joy Hill 28 October 1971]]
*[[Letter to Joy Hill (28 October 1971)]]


{{references}}
{{references}}

Revision as of 16:33, 11 September 2020

Bilbo's Last Song is a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is sung by Bilbo Baggins at the Grey Havens as he is about to leave Middle-earth. Chronologically this places it at the very end of The Return of the King, the last volume of The Lord of the Rings, although it was written later than the books and never included in them.

The Poem

Day is ended, dim my eyes,
but journey long before me lies.
Farewell, friends! I hear the call.
The ship's beside the stony wall.
Foam is white and waves are grey;
beyond the sunset leads my way.
Foam is salt, the wind is free;
I hear the rising of the Sea.

Farewell, friends! The sails are set,
the wind is east, the moorings fret.
Shadows long before me lie,
beneath the ever-bending sky,
but islands lie behind the Sun
that I shall raise ere all is done;
lands there are to west of West,
where night is quiet and sleep is rest.

Guided by the Lonely Star,
beyond the utmost harbour-bar
I'll find the havens fair and free,
and beaches of the Starlit Sea.
Ship, my ship! I seek the West,
and fields and mountains ever blest.
Farewell to Middle-Earth at last.
I see the Star above your mast!

History

It was originally a text without link with Bilbo's story, entitled Vestr um haf, but Tolkien changed it in October 1968. It was given by Tolkien as a gift to his secretary Joy Hill in 1968 after she discovered it in Tolkien's library.

After Tolkien's death in 1973, Hill showed the poem to Donald Swann, who liked the poem so much that he set it to music and included it in the second edition of The Road Goes Ever On in 1978.[1] The poem was also illustrated by Pauline Baynes, and published as a poster on 26 November 1974.

The song was included in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (1981), with music by Stephen Oliver. The first verse is chanted by John Le Mesurier as Bilbo, the second omitted, and the third sung by a boy soprano.

In 1990 the text was finally published in book form by Unwin Hyman, re-illustrated by Baynes.[2] New editions appeared in 2002 (Hutchinson, hardcover),[3] and 2012 (Red Fox/Random House, paperback).[4]

In 1996 the song was recorded by the Dutch Tolkien Society band The Hobbitons, with permission from the Tolkien Estate, for their CD J.R.R. Tolkien's Songs from Middle-earth.[5]

The copyright of the poem was given by Tolkien to Hill together with the poem itself. Upon her death in 1991, Hill gave the copyright to the Order of the Holy Paraclete. Baynes's illustrations for Bilbo's Last Song were not included in the bequeathing to the Order, but were given the Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford upon her death in 2008.[6]

See also

References