It's a little after the fact, the winners announced last week, but real-life doings have prevented this post till now.
Congratulations to jan-u-wine on her awards at the 2011 MEFA's. And thanks to Antane for nominating Jan's poems in the first place.
That I am pleased as punch can come as no surprise to readers of this LJ. Since 2005, I have featured well over a hundred of jan-u-wine's Tolkien-inspired pieces. Jan and I have become friends through working together, finally meeting in person in 2008. But while the posts inspired the friendship, it was the poetry that inspired the posts. Therefore I am very, very happy to see her work's excellence recognized.
Below is a list of the poems that placed, posted with the banners provided by MEFA volunteer artists. The titles of the poems link to their postings in this journal, although they can be read at their original location at LOTR Scrapbook, where all Jan's Tolkien-based work is archived.
Additionally, I want to recommend the four poems by jan-u-wine that did not receive enough votes to place in the MEFA's. All are very fine pieces (the titles are links).
I Have a Little Shadow, a thoughtful, perceptive piece, is more properly a real-person piece, as its subject is Elijah Wood's experience portraying Frodo Baggins.
Now Far Ahead the Road Has Gone eloquently imagines Frodo's thoughts as he departs with Bilbo in the wagon at the end of ROTK (film verse).
Eagles to Ithilien looks inside Frodo's head as he and Sam are rescued from the destruction of Mt. Doom.
Namárië lets the reader enter into Frodo's experience as he farewells each friend at the Grey Havens. It is one of my all-time favourite jan-u-wine poems. Another appreciative MEFA reviewer called it "a poem so beautiful that it would wring tears from a stone statue". Rightly said.
I'm terribly pleased, Mews. Very few people read fanfic poetry, even if it's of very high quality, so anything that increases jan-u-wine's readership pleases me.
BY THE WAY, browsing over missed entries on my f-list, I saw that you recommended the Tolkien Birthday post. Thanks so much, Mews. I hadn't known at the time, too overwhelmed with house guests and such (it was a late-night effort to get that post out at all!), but I thank you now.
I must say:......if it weren't for Mechtild, I seriously doubt that there would have been any of my poems in the MEFA's. I certainly could not find a better collaborator or (and this is by far the more important), friend.
(and once again, thank you to Mechtild. This LJ is a tribute to her on-going love of Tolkien, and her passion, in fact, for all that speaks to the heart)
A story for you! My mom was puppy-sitting for me today, and I encouraged her to browse through my shelf of printed-out LOTR fanfic, artwork, and poetry. I came home to find that she had done a lot of browsing, and had put everything back where she found it...except for your poem "On the Greatness and Littleness of Being". She was awestruck by it, and wanted to know who you were and how you could possibly write such gorgeous poetry. She said the poem was "stunningly exquisite". I so agreed!
dear Janet....how i needed this today. I've been having some problems with my memory and am in despair of writing any more. I can write prose well enough, but poetry taxes me on a different level. I am very grateful that your mom enjoyed that piece and very grateful to you for sharing this story with me. Thanks to you both!
How frustrating for you, my friend. I suspect the Poetry Muse will return when it's time, gently, and you'll once again know the joy of writing poetry even if they're in a different form or not as lengthy. What a body of work, such a beautiful legacy of poems with which you've gifted us!
I do have that to comfort myself with: if i never write again, there are the ones that are already here. It's sort of like growing old: one has to learn to let go of the things that were, gracefully. But I'm not ready to let go.....
I think if i could get out from under this stress the Muse might indeed return. What is that that Paris says: "love does not smile in a house of tears"
and the Muse does not speak in the midst of turmoil.
Thank you so much for your support. I am trying, lol!
Dear Mechtild...without your own words and images, the beauty is ....halved. So, thank you, my friend, from my heart, for your love of these books, for your appreciation of beauty. Thank you for guiding and putting up with writer's ways. Thank you for the inspiration(s) and all of the conversations (we could make a LOTR-length book of those alone!).
thank you for being......you: friend and fellow Tolkienista!
Frodo had arrived at a *true* crossroads of his journey. Not only was he burdened with Howard The Duck and someone who was naught but a mere shadow of Sam, but he noted, upon looking leftwise, that Klaatu (or was that a Dalek?) had somehow joined the fray. Not to mention that the Sun was leaking....sun-stuff.
Congratulations Jan-u-win. I am a true admirer of your poems. The posts with the poems, the screencaps and LOTR text fragments were(and are still) magical. Thank you both.
