Only in the glorious spring of 1420
when the mallorn bloomed in the meadow
and many women gave birth to children
with shining golden hair
when fields far and near brought forth
crops of mythic proportions
and old men spoke of these days
as if they had already passed
‘twas only then
when the Shire swelled with prosperity
and the last marks of Sharkey were erased
by lush green grass, the hard work
of many determined Hobbits, and
dust from a small Elven box,
only when the sterile oblivion of the Black Lands
had faded to sometimes seem an unlikely dream
only as he stood under the arch
hand-in-hand with Rosie Cotton
only then did Sam realize
with his whole being
how much of his heart’s life depended
upon simple joys, such as
coaxing vibrant blossoms
from a small shy garden,
the sparkle in his love’s eyes as
she bade him wash his hands for dinner,
or
collecting warm brown eggs
from his own white chickens.