"The Storm Has Burst at Last"-A Metaphorical Statement
Bush-is-The Enemy | 20.03.2003 03:44
As Emperor Bush now defies International public opinion as well as International Law, a very appropriate exerpt from J.R.R.Tolkien's "The Two Towers"(the book, not the movie) is in order.
The following exerpted from J.R.R.Tolkien best describes, in a metaphorical sense, the evil just unleashed by America(Mordor) on the World(Middle Earth)this is the beginning of the War of the Ring in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, a war that(like Bush) the evil being known in the story as Sauron, or "The Enemy"(G.W. Bush)has long been planning to inflict on all of Middle Earth(Planet Earth).The exerpt covers the experiences of the Hobbit Frodo and his companion Sam as they personally witness the start of Sauron's(Bush's) war. It may also reflect in a metaphorical way, the terror being experienced now by the people of Iraq.:
..."At that moment the rock quivered and trembled beneath them. The great rumbling noise, louder than ever before, rolled in the ground and echoed in the mountains. Then with searing suddeness there came a great red flash. Far beyond the eastern mountains it leapt into the sky and splashed the lowering clouds with crimson. In that valley of shadow and cold deathly light it seemed unbearably violent and fierce. Peaks of stone and ridges like notched knives sprang out in staring black against the uprushing flame in Gorgoroth. Then came a great crack of thunder.
And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of vivid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into sullen clouds. The earth groaned; and out of the city there came a cry. Mingled with harsh high voices as of birds of prey, and the shrill neighing of horses wild with rage and fear, there came a rending screech, shivering, rising swiftly to a piercing pitch beyond the range of hearing. The Hobbits wheeled round towards it, and cast themselves down, holding their hands upon their ears.
As the terrible cry ended, falling back through a long sickening wail to silence, Frodo slowly raised his head. Across the narrow valley, now almost on a level with his eyes, the walls of the evil city stood, and its cavernous gate, shaped like an open mouth with gleaming teeth, was gaping wide. And out of the gate an army came.
All that host was clad in sable, dark as night. Against the wan walls and the luminous pavement of the road Frodo could see them, small black figures in rank upon rank, marching swiftly and silently, passing outwards in an endless stream. Before them went a great cavalry of horsemen moving like ordered shadows, and at their head was one greater than all the rest: a Rider, all black, save that on his hooded head he had a helm like a crown that flickered with a perilous light. Now he was drawing near the bridge below and Frodo's staring eyes followed him, unable to wink or to withdraw. Surely there was the Lord of the Nine Riders(Rumsfeld) returned to earth to lead his ghastly host to battle? Here, yes here indeed was the haggard king whose cold hand had smitten down the Ring-Bearer with his deadly knife. The old wound throbbed with pain and a great chill spread towards Frodo's heart."...
..."But he was in haste. Already the hour had struck, and at his Master's(Bush) bidding he must march with war into the West(Middle East)."...
..."Frodo stirred. And suddenly his heart went out to Faramir(Iraqi people). 'The storm has burst at last', he thought. 'This great array of spears and swords is going to Osgiliath(Iraq). Will Faramir get across in time? He guessed it, but did he know the hour? And who can now hold the fords when the King of the Nine Riders comes? And other armies will come. I am too late. All is lost. I tarried on the way. All is lost. Even if my errand is performed, no one will ever know. There will be no one I can tell. It will be in vain'. Overcome with weakness he wept. And still the host of Morgul crossed the bridge."
Such is the sense of doom and sorrow I felt as the word spread that "the hour had struck" and Bush is launching his wicked and illegal war on Iraq and the World. I can only hope and pray that all is NOT lost, that we were NOT too late in resisting this war. Still, it is a day to weep-for the People of Iraq, and the future of Planet Earth.
My sincere thanks to the late, great J.R.R.Tolkien for this contribution to, I hope, our collective feeling at this dire hour.
..."At that moment the rock quivered and trembled beneath them. The great rumbling noise, louder than ever before, rolled in the ground and echoed in the mountains. Then with searing suddeness there came a great red flash. Far beyond the eastern mountains it leapt into the sky and splashed the lowering clouds with crimson. In that valley of shadow and cold deathly light it seemed unbearably violent and fierce. Peaks of stone and ridges like notched knives sprang out in staring black against the uprushing flame in Gorgoroth. Then came a great crack of thunder.
And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of vivid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into sullen clouds. The earth groaned; and out of the city there came a cry. Mingled with harsh high voices as of birds of prey, and the shrill neighing of horses wild with rage and fear, there came a rending screech, shivering, rising swiftly to a piercing pitch beyond the range of hearing. The Hobbits wheeled round towards it, and cast themselves down, holding their hands upon their ears.
As the terrible cry ended, falling back through a long sickening wail to silence, Frodo slowly raised his head. Across the narrow valley, now almost on a level with his eyes, the walls of the evil city stood, and its cavernous gate, shaped like an open mouth with gleaming teeth, was gaping wide. And out of the gate an army came.
All that host was clad in sable, dark as night. Against the wan walls and the luminous pavement of the road Frodo could see them, small black figures in rank upon rank, marching swiftly and silently, passing outwards in an endless stream. Before them went a great cavalry of horsemen moving like ordered shadows, and at their head was one greater than all the rest: a Rider, all black, save that on his hooded head he had a helm like a crown that flickered with a perilous light. Now he was drawing near the bridge below and Frodo's staring eyes followed him, unable to wink or to withdraw. Surely there was the Lord of the Nine Riders(Rumsfeld) returned to earth to lead his ghastly host to battle? Here, yes here indeed was the haggard king whose cold hand had smitten down the Ring-Bearer with his deadly knife. The old wound throbbed with pain and a great chill spread towards Frodo's heart."...
..."But he was in haste. Already the hour had struck, and at his Master's(Bush) bidding he must march with war into the West(Middle East)."...
..."Frodo stirred. And suddenly his heart went out to Faramir(Iraqi people). 'The storm has burst at last', he thought. 'This great array of spears and swords is going to Osgiliath(Iraq). Will Faramir get across in time? He guessed it, but did he know the hour? And who can now hold the fords when the King of the Nine Riders comes? And other armies will come. I am too late. All is lost. I tarried on the way. All is lost. Even if my errand is performed, no one will ever know. There will be no one I can tell. It will be in vain'. Overcome with weakness he wept. And still the host of Morgul crossed the bridge."
Such is the sense of doom and sorrow I felt as the word spread that "the hour had struck" and Bush is launching his wicked and illegal war on Iraq and the World. I can only hope and pray that all is NOT lost, that we were NOT too late in resisting this war. Still, it is a day to weep-for the People of Iraq, and the future of Planet Earth.
My sincere thanks to the late, great J.R.R.Tolkien for this contribution to, I hope, our collective feeling at this dire hour.
Bush-is-The Enemy