I did not plan to translate Crane's In the Desert into Quenya. I learned the Quenya word for 'bitter', 'sára', and several lines of the poem came to my head fully formed. It was likely only an hour of work to draft and then polish it, but the end result is honestly rather sleek.
It is a straight translation; in most cases, accuracy was given preference over poetics.
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, “Is it good, friend?”
“It is bitter—bitter,” he answered;
“But I like it
“Because it is bitter,
“And because it is my heart.”
In erumesse (In the desert)
Cennen rauco hráva rúcima (I saw a creature, bestial, terrible)
I hára cemenesse (Who sitting on the ground,)
Yáve hónya mátyasse (held his heart in his two hands)
Ar mante san. (and ate of it.)
Quenten, “Ma mára nás, nildo?” (I said, “is it good, friend?”)
Endaquentes, “Sára ná, sára, (He answered, "Bitter it is, bitter,")
“Mal nilinyes (but I love it)
“Sáranen (By way of its bitterness)
“Ar hónyanen.” (And by way of it being my heart.)