Happy Birthday Professor Tolkien

Today would have been the 133rd birthday of John Ronald Ruel Tolkien, the greatest Catholic writer of the 20th century and one of the greatest to have ever lived. Here, in his honour are the three versions of his poem "The Road Goes Ever On".

From The Hobbit, by Bilbo as he sets off on his adventure:

Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.

From The Fellowship of the Ring by Bilbo as he leaves the Shire for the last time:

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

And, from The Return of the King by Bilbo as an ancient hobbit in Rivendell:

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Let us take up Bilbo's challenge and follow the Road to the Undying Lands!