Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael  

Of the coming of the Elves and the captivity of Melkor 11

Alas, the Valar didn't manage to find
all mighty caves, pits and dungeons,
hidden well from the sharpest sight,
below Utumno and Angband's tunnels.

A great amount of the evil projections
concealed their presence in those lairs,
the rest of them scattered in all directions
until the new hour of malice got prepared.

No one knew where Sauron fled, either.
But when the Battle was finally over,
clouds covered the stars, with the conceiver
being brought to Valinor, chained and covered.

Bandage blocked his eyes from vision,
for the eyes are portals where souls hold power,
and at the Ring of Destiny a decision
for Melkor's fate had to be taken; in that very Hour.

Hypocritically and without repentance,
Melkor lay before the feet of Manwë,
his deploration got rejected without vengeance,
he was imprisoned; escape stood no chance.

He was thrown in a Hall of Mandos,
where he had to reflect on his deeds.
For he would eventually have to choose
one of two paths that Redemption preceed.

No one could break out from there,
neither Vala, Elve  or simple men,
Melkor would wait for three epochs before
he could ask for forgiveness again.

The Valar gathered again to hold council.
Yet this time there was a fervent dispute.
One of them insisted that the Elves live
in Middle Earth, to heal all wounds and their roots,

aplenty exploring their gifts and their talents,
to wander in the Land that was promised to them,
yet some of the Valar questioned the chances
of evil's cunningness to mistreat the Quendi again.

So some Valar feared allowing the Elves to roam
in the vast dangers of a world unsecured, unsafe,
under the starry skies they called their first home,
besides the Valar their loving friendship craved.

Eventually, the Council of Elohim decided
to invite all the Quendi to live in Valinor,
under the Light of the Two Trees englightened,
to live there, together, fatefully ~ forevermore.

Silence came about, so Mandor uttered:
"Let it be so." And that call evoked
infinite troubles which caused Elves to suffer,
that in the Ages would slowly evolve.

Yet many of the Elves at first didn't listen,
as save for Oromë all Valar seemed ominous,
the Battle shaped the Elves' protective position,
for they feared the Almighty Ones' dominance.

So the Valar sent Oromë with a question,
to try to implore them to send a chosen few
to go to Valinor and gather impressions,
then if the rest liked to, to follow them out of will.

Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë were the ambassadors,
who would later become the first Elven Kings,
and when they arrived in the Sacred Land of Valinor,
they were filled by beautiful, rejoicing feelings.

They fell in love with the purity of the Two Trees,
so they yearned their presence and blessedness fair,
for what's temporarily felt doesn't always foresee
which choice is the right one and which brings despair.

Seemingly, the easy path may bring conviction
that comfort, bliss and even sacredness protect.
Yet... progression shifts circumstances, no prediction
can guarantee all sides that it wants to detect.

So... follow Eru's inner guidance, Elves,
in the epic journey, called Life.
Don't rush to return to the Well
from which you came to the other side.