Mining For Ore

In the depths, diamonds and demons:
Mine at your own risk.

Chisel and plumb and plunder
As does the prisoner
To light and breath.

Touch nothing,
But look on.

Something hums and burns beneath.

Lift up your candle and call out,
For it has broken through.
Pray that you pried loose
What you can bear to see—
Bear it up alone
And alone you will sink.

Let the eye that opens be yours,
For in the deepest of halls
No headlamp or torch can discern
Sovereigns from scales.

[I wrote the following poem inspired by The Hobbit.  It was published in December in The Hall of Great Poets on www.theonering.net]