"The Road Goes Ever On"

"The Road Goes Ever On" is a poem written by  J.R.R Tolkien and first recited by Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit." This is one of my favorite pieces of poetry and I think it is very relevant and inspiring for this type of journey.

 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.

The poem is altered by Bilbo in "The Lord of the Rings," and is a bit more to my liking:

                                                     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.