Nimrodel

   Am                Em 
An Elven-maid there was of old, 
    F              C  G7 
A shining star by day: 
     Am               Em 
Her mantle white was hemmed with gold, 
      F       Em      Am 
Her shoes of silver-grey. 
 
       Am             G 
   A star was bound upon her brows, 
      F                C 
   A light was on her hair 
       Dm           Am 
   As sun upon the golden boughs 
       F  Em      Am 
   In Lorien the fair. 
 
                    C                      G 
      Her hair was long, her limbs where white, 
           C                 D  E7 
      And fair she was and free; 
          Am      Em       Am      F 
      And in the wind she went as light 
          Dm      Em      Am 
      As leaf of linden-tree. 
 
Beside the falls of Nimrodel, 
By water clear and cool, 
Her voice as falling silver fell 
Into the shining pool. 
 
   Where now she wanders none can tell, 
   In sunlight or in shade; 
   For lost of yore was Nimrodel 
   And in the mountains strayed. 
 
      The elven-ship in haven grey 
      Beneath the mountain-lee 
      Awaited her for many a day 
      Beside the roaring sea. 
 
A wind by night in Northern lands 
Arose, and loud it cried, 
And drove the ship from elven-strands 
Across the streaming tide. 
 
   When dawn came dim the land was lost, 
   The mountains sinking grey 
   Beyond the heaving waves that tossed 
   Their plumes of blinding spray. 
 
      Amroth beheld the fading shore 
      Now low beyond the swell, 
      And cursed the faithless ship that bore 
      Him far from Nimrodel. 
 
Of old he was an Elven-king, 
A lord of tree and glen, 
When golden were the boughs in spring 
In fair Lothlorien. 
 
   From helm to sea they saw him leap, 
   As arrow from the string, 
   And dive into the water deep, 
   As mew upon the wing. 
 
   The wind was in his flowing hair, 
   The foam about him shone; 
   Afar they saw him strong and fair 
   Go riding like a swan. 
 
      But from the West has come no word, 
      And on the Hither Shore 
      No tidings Elven-folk heard 
      Of Amroth evermore.