The blackness echoes hollowly
The dark devours our feeble light
Within the shadows unseen dread
Lurks there beyond the edge of sight.

The black pit draws me to itself
And draws my hand to hover near
The gloomy hole that sucks at light
I drop a stone, then wait to hear.

I hold my breath and count the beats
Of my heart's pounding till I hear
The "plunk" as stone falls far below
At roots of rock in some deep mere.

The echoes fade; I breathe again
"Fool Took!" cries Gandalf in alarm
But now the strange tom-tap, tap-tom
A small rock's surely done no harm?

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