It seems like every culture in Middle Earth is looking backwards to a time of
greater glory than the current age. That would explain the melancholy of
much of the poetry in LOTR. Even the Men of Minas Tirith feel diminished.
It occurs to me that the only society that doesn't particulary dwell in the
past (save for it's fondness for genealogy) is the Shire. It's full of hope and
the love of good things. And so we get poetry that is simple and celebrates
life. Hobbits are the only people in Middle Earth that aren't
melancholy!
PJ and the boys are thrilled to run into a group of
TORnsibs at the Applebee's in Maumee, Ohio.
