User blog:Forten/The Charge of Theoden

The arrow red had passed through night,

the hill-beacons were gleaming,

The arrow sped to Theoden light,

But heavy was its meaning,

In Dunharrow they met on high,

And swift they rode to Mundburg's aid,

The sun was smothered in the sky,

And banners dim the host displayed,

Near Eilenach they came on hills,

With dark-haired men; their raiment green,

Theoden hearkened to their wills,

And passed by Mordor's eyes unseen,

Their horns were winded in the land

Of stone, to Pelennor they drew,

There born was anger in their hands,

The serpent black Theoden slew,

But through the air a shadow came,

It smote his steed, fair snowmane fell

And threw Theoden down in pain,

As loud the shade in victory yelled,

His beast alighted on the ground,

And reared to break again the king,

But halted as a challenge found

His ears amid the suffering,

He turned his head to heed the cry,

The warrior's blade went snicker-snack!

The beast's head fell as swift it died,

And stained the earth with lifeblood black,

He broke the warrior's arm and shield,

And laughed, he said: "No man may slay

the Witch-King!", then his foe revealed

She was a maiden of the day,

Her friend: a halfling dealt a blow,

The shadow screamed in piercing pain,

Eowyn struck and laid him low,

And so a woman was his bane,

There passed the foes of Stoningland,

For as their leader fell they fled,

And Gondor cheered in triumph grand,

Its knights gave chase and left them dead,

But Rohan had no cause to sing,

It counted men alive no more,

And cried "Theoden! Mighty king!"

In agony, amid the gore,

Now lifeless great Theoden sleeps,

Beneath white clumps of evermind,

The very lands have cause to weep,

For he is dead, his fair eyes blind.