Crying Elm Of Sorrow

Crying Elm Of Sorrow
© Surazeus
2026 05 16

We see him under the crying elm of sorrow 
as if his body has transformed to stone, 
yet nobody understands what he says, 
so we cover him with eglantine vines 
that bloom with delicate petals of faith 
that remind our hearts of Ithilien. 

Horses under the crying elm of sorrow 
discuss philosophy with Socrates 
who teaches them to question what is real 
but they are too innocent to rebel 
when humans harness them to pull fruit wagons 
in our journey home to Ithilien. 

Emerging from the crying elm of sorrow, 
we gather on the lake shore every summer 
to dance by starlight among apple trees 
and share stories about our families, 
then part with tears to our home villages 
scattered through valleys of Ithilien. 

Strange ghosts under the crying elm of sorrow, 
far off in shadowed woods of yesteryear, 
speak with voices more enchanting than flutes 
which haunt our lonely afternoons at home 
while we tend lush gardens of vegetables 
that bloom by rivers of Ithilien. 

World Queen under the crying elm of sorrow 
sings heart-aching melodies about loss 
to children who sit at her feet with eyes 
wide as the silver moon behind rain clouds 
who remember her voice when they grow old 
and wail for spirit of Ithilien. 

Phoebe walks toward the crying elm of sorrow 
with hesitant steps of perceptive grace 
to offer bowl of milk with kind intention 
to old bearded Wulfgar, wounded by war, 
who accepts her gift, and weeps as he drinks 
to think of souls lost in Ithilien. 

Stalled car beside the crying elm of sorrow, 
that Mercury once drove across the land 
to perform at concerts in every city 
before adoring crowds of hungry ghosts, 
now rusts in silent stillness of hot air 
and decays in woods of Ithilien. 

Dancing under the crying elm of sorrow, 
Draupadi glides with grace of secret love 
to express lamentation of her heart 
for all the people killed in civil wars 
whose names vanish in spring winds of tomorrow 
though they linger mute in Ithilien.