The Road Goes Ever On

Roads go ever on and on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever on and on,
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone,
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen,
And horror in the halls of stone,
Look at last on meadows green,
And trees and hills they long have known.

The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
and I must follow, if I can.
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it meets some larger way,
Where many paths and errants meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The road goes ever on and on,
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet,
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Still round the corner there may wait,
A new road or a secret gate.
And though I oft have passed them by,
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.

(JRR Tolkien)