Precious
You might see me as a trinket,
I am golden, warm to touch,
a pretty ring upon your finger.
Keep me hidden in a pocket.
You'd leap off cliffs, sup on poison,
brave a castle's arrow showers.
In return, I'd protect you,
share my power to grant desires.
The ages pass but you'd endure
enjoy the strength I'd bring to you
yet in your gut, fear would grow;
you'd drown in sorrow if I were lost.
My pliant fool. I own your life,
making you wander back to him.
A donkey for my silent wish;
a blinded salmon back to birth.
In your heart, you know I crave him;
for all my power, I still serve.
Keep me from him to survive -
free will, neither yours nor mine.
I'm a fan of J R R Tolkein's books and really enjoyed the film adaptations by Peter Jackson. This poem explores the power relationship between The One Ring and Gollum from the ring's perspective and looks at a concept of freedom.
Carole Baldock kindly included the poem in Orbis 175 and I checked out Orbis 176 in the Poetry Library (apologies for not buying a copy) to see if there was any feedback about the poem...not a word. Deflated ego!