Appearances

Although J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for being the phenomenal story-teller he is in having created the world of Middle Earth - truly having created a world replete with languages and full history - he also has a wonderful gift for lyric verse, and those gifts are not always found in one person. Here is one of my favorites of his poems that not only describes the character of Aragorn but also speaks on its own outside LOTR.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.