It has been five years now, since this was uploaded. I hope you are still with us and in good health. Thank you for gifting us with your recitations. You may have left this channel, or maybe even this world, but your voice will always be with us.
Come back Tom O’bedlam I listen to you everyday But I finished listening to all your stuff Now I sit and re listen to all the poems again and again Come back
Sir! I don't know what came to pass in your life but if you departed this realm may you rest in the etheral light and thank you for all your hard work and eloquent recitals!
Please come back. I feel so sad everytime one of your video's pops up in my suggestions. We never corresponded but I have this horrendous pain in my stomach whenever I think of this channel that taught me so much and always had a poem to say what I felt but couldn't express. I feel like i've lost a friend and teacher. But it seems like it's time for me to say goodbye now. Thanks for everything Tom O'Bedlam, I'll miss you and I miss you
‘Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself’. Probably the best quote I’ve ever heard. It’s so easy to get stuck in someone else’s definition of yourself. Please live your own life!
Thank you, charles. You are the reason why i am a confident young girl in a mainstream world, being different was not easy but with your words in my ears and mind you made my life and you still make my life a living dance. Thanking you forever in the notebook of my heart.
That feeling when your growing and giving your poetry a visual and suddenly you hear the voice to your ink. You find out your inner poetry voice is liken to the narrative of Tom O'Bedlam. My poems The Robin, Scenic Prayer, Room to love and The Visit are familiar guests or ghosts and just like a ghost the narrative in you. I may leave my life without my narrative, my inner voice. But wherever you are Mr Tom O'Bedlam, I have still enjoyed the fantasy and do read out my lines, in my heart and in my head. That will have to do for me. I tell myself. It will have to do. Best wishes Keli Usher-Holmes
Bukowski was a true writer and lived life in his own way. Of course if he heard me say that about him he'd probably tell me to shove my review of his life up my ass. lol
+SpokenVerse I see it's been a long time since your last upload. I hope you haven't abandoned your channel, since your readings are exceptionally good.
It is great to hear someone reading poetry in a voice which is so soothing in tone and very well spoken, since discovering your channel it has become a frequent ritual to listen to readings at night, and It's great that you have covered so many great poets and poems. I also must add, I have never heard a voice more suited for Bukowski poetry.
A beautiful rendition of what is for me a challanging poem. While I fully support many of the sentiments offered by Bukowski, I am a firm beliver that WE need to be our authetic self whenever possible; the idea of reinventing oneself and 'shape-changing' conjures up a type of 'avoidance' that troubles me. Each to his/her own, but I say, find out who you are and be that person as often as possible whatever it may bring. Thanks Tom; really made me think!
+Celtic Prince I think this poem, in part, may actually be a critique of essentialism, that there even is an authentic self for us to be true to. Similar to how the philosopher Alan Watts felt, who we are changes from moment to moment. Rather than avoidance, I see invention/reinvention as adaptability. We can be who we need to be at any moment, and in that way we forge our own destiny. That's my interpretation of the last stanza anyway, and it's an interesting sentiment to say the least :)
Tom, what can I say? You have a cracking voice and you're brilliant at what you do. Everytime I listen to any of your readings, especially Bukowski, Wilfred Owen and 'The Hollow Men', I feel like something's gonna jump out and scare me! Well done that man. I am trying to get by in life primarily as a rapper, but I also write a bit of war poetry on the side, and all I can say is, it would be a dream come true if you read one of my poems one day. Take care mate, all the best, PanthaDogg.
I am delighted to see you back after such a long time! Bukowski too - perfection. If it is not too much to ask, could you record Spike Milligan's greatest poem - one that puts him in the company of Keith Douglas in terms of its moving sadness, and literary perfection - "The Soldiers at Lauro"? If anyone should doubt Milligan's poetic voice, they should hear this beautiful, tragic poem of survivor guilt and elegy. I can think of no one who could do it greater service than you, and your majestic voice. And finally, thank you for the innumerable occasions you readings have moved me to tears, and brought me closer the the poetic voice we all seek.
+p1966kful Thank you for your kind words, it feels good to be appreciated. I had never read that particular poem of Spike's before. If I can make a satisfactory reading then I'll post it. Here is the text: salamanderoasis.org/poems/m/milligan-spike/lauro.html
Tom o'Bedlam? Where ever you are, we hope that you do well. We hope to hear more from you. And we hope that you will be remembered. Tell me of John or Shaun? Who were Shem and Shaun the living sons or daughters of? Night now! Tell me, tell me, tell me, elm! Night night! Telmetale of stem or stone. Beside the rivering waters of, hitherandthithering waters of. Night! James Joyce Finnegans Wake
Welcome back, sir, I discovered you back in 2010 and over the years I kept coming back. It's so good to have you still doing this. I think this will probably get unanswered, but I'm going to try it anyway. I wanted to know what kind of accent is this? I have a terrible mess of an accent (being non-English native), after years and years of movie watching, but lately considered the option of actively rehearsing to get a more consistent accent and I was thinking more and more of adopting the English pronunciation. But there is such a wide variety of English accents that I fear I would get a rather comical mess of a "English wanna-be" instead of a cleaner one. Living in UK is not an option for me ATM, but I'm considering it for the next years. However, I thought of practicing by learning a few poems, and this is where your channel would help me a lot, I think. So, if I do so, what kind of accent I would get? Thank you for your efforts and for sharing this with us.
Come on Tom, practice what Bukowski preached. Reinvent yourself as your former self and resume your mission. That voice of yours should not lie fallow.
+Arun Francis Yes you can. There are over 200 videos on Vimeo.com that use my readings - and not many of them asked my permission. Thanks for asking. Anyone wanting to use Bukowski's poetry for commercial purposes should be aware that it is protected by copyright: the first thing to do is to negotiate with the copyright holder.
Love your readings. Would love to use this one in a non-commercial project :) I've read somewhere before (maybe the comments) you are ok with it, but wanted to ask it anyway.
Hi am i allowed to use this audio for a video i am making? It isnt a commercial or anything of course just for my channel, thanks so much if you reply!!
+PhantomZ Some people do that and most don't ask permission first. Some of them get more views than I do. Yes, you can use it for a non-commercial purpose, thank you for asking.
+Mo Gorge "I find it hard to give any abstract views on poetry and its present condition as I find theorizing on the subject no help to me as a writer. In fact it would be true to say that I make a point of not knowing what poetry is or how to read a page or about the function of myth. It is fatal to decide, intellectually, what good poetry is because you are then in honour bound to try to write it, instead of the poems that only you can write." Philip Larkin. His views are better than anything I could write. You can read the rest here: www.mrbauld.com/larkinst.html
I saw you comment that you don't do voice over work and maybe that's why you've been avoiding my attempts to contact you. I got in touch with Juan Diego Escobar, with whom you collaborated on the film Live Life Dearest and asked him how he got you to work with him on that and he said he just got in touch through this channel, that's why I've been trying here. My idea is to make a short film with a narration (by you, if you'd indulge me) of the writings of Emma Goldman, particularly some essays in Anarchism and Other Essays. I think she was really ahead of her time. This film is a passion project, not commercial in any way, and it would mean the world to me if you would at least consider my request, I really think you would bring a life to this project that is unique and wonderful. Thanks and sorry for continuously bothering you!
SpokenVerse I really thought about this and truth is I can't really know what motivates you to make these great videos. I would like to think your motivation is to share these great pieces of literature with a generation of people who otherwise might never come in contact with them. That is a big part of what motivates me to make this short film I have envisioned for so long. If you would give me a few minutes of your time on a Skype call, I think you'll understand my vision and see if it motivates you to be a part of this project. Thanks again for taking time to respond, regardless of what happens it really means a lot!
+JohnFelipo I like to leave voiceover work to the guys who do it for a living: they have my sympathy. I've tried it and it was misery. When I'm posting here I'm in control. I get to read what I want to read, and how I'm going to read it, and when. When a guy sends me a script he isn't going to appreciate me telling him it's illiterate and stands no chance of success - or that I don't want to hear my voice reading it. He thinks I can make it sound like Keats or Bukowski. Also he has a deadline so I'm expected to sacrifice hours of my life. And when it doesn't come across like he thought it would he wants me to do it over, time and time again, with stage-directions such as "more intensity". And I just sound more and more pissed-off. ua-cam.com/video/FiQnH450hPM/v-deo.html So voiceover work is not as much fun as you might think.
SpokenVerse I completely understand where you're coming from, and in the end if we can't work together it's not a problem. But it won't be a script, it will be text straight from Emma Goldman's book, Anarchism and Other Essays. I will condense it to fit the length of a short film. Of course then it comes down to whether you find that an interesting read or subject, and I imagine that would play a big part in your involvement in the project. And there is absolutely no deadline either, since this is a passion project I want it done right rather than fast. It could take years to finish, but if it's done right I'll be happy. As of right now, there is no date set to shoot and no actors involved, it's all still in my head, but I know one of the center pieces of this project will be the narration, and that is why I reached you. Also why I said it would be similar to the film you worked on with Juan, in that you would be reading someone else's work, not an original script. But if you still can't do it I understand, this is something dear to you and I also take care to make sure things I do for pleasure don't get ruined by work of any sort. Thank you once again for the elaborate response, it really means a lot!
+JohnFelipo I allowed Juan Diego Escobar to use an existing reading of Byron's Darkness - that's all. I don't know anything about his film Live Life Dearest. I can't read anything about Anarchy with conviction. I don't see any point in saying anything about it, for or against, because it ain't going to happen. Anybody who has read this conversation and wants to read Emma Goldman's exposition of anarchy could start here: dwardmac.pitzer.edu/anarchist_archives/goldman/aando/anarchism.html I appreciate the fact that you wanted my voice for your film and I'm sorry that I can't help you. Good luck with your project. with regards, Tom
It has been five years now, since this was uploaded. I hope you are still with us and in good health. Thank you for gifting us with your recitations. You may have left this channel, or maybe even this world, but your voice will always be with us.
Come back Tom O’bedlam
I listen to you everyday
But I finished listening to all your stuff
Now I sit and re listen to all the poems again and again
Come back
Absolutely gutted no uploads since, hope the reader is still around! Brilliant reader
Sir! I don't know what came to pass in your life but if you departed this realm may you rest in the etheral light and thank you for all your hard work and eloquent recitals!
Please come back. I feel so sad everytime one of your video's pops up in my suggestions. We never corresponded but I have this horrendous pain in my stomach whenever I think of this channel that taught me so much and always had a poem to say what I felt but couldn't express. I feel like i've lost a friend and teacher. But it seems like it's time for me to say goodbye now. Thanks for everything Tom O'Bedlam, I'll miss you and I miss you
This man was born to read poetry thank you Tom
I genuinely hope we still have you under this same sky and I secretly hope you'd come back again just as the moon in the darkest night
‘Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself’. Probably the best quote I’ve ever heard. It’s so easy to get stuck in someone else’s definition of yourself. Please live your own life!
Thank you, charles. You are the reason why i am a confident young girl in a mainstream world, being different was not easy but with your words in my ears and mind you made my life and you still make my life a living dance. Thanking you forever in the notebook of my heart.
Tom, was this a hint that you were about to "reinvent yourself", leaving us to fend for ourselves?
That feeling when your growing and giving your poetry a visual and suddenly you hear the voice to your ink. You find out your inner poetry voice is liken to the narrative of Tom O'Bedlam. My poems The Robin, Scenic Prayer, Room to love and The Visit are familiar guests or ghosts and just like a ghost the narrative in you.
I may leave my life without my narrative, my inner voice. But wherever you are Mr Tom O'Bedlam, I have still enjoyed the fantasy and do read out my lines, in my heart and in my head. That will have to do for me. I tell myself. It will have to do.
Best wishes
Keli Usher-Holmes
Bukowski was a true writer and lived life in his own way. Of course if he heard me say that about him he'd probably tell me to shove my review of his life up my ass. lol
This is so beautiful. Please come back
+SpokenVerse I see it's been a long time since your last upload. I hope you haven't abandoned your channel, since your readings are exceptionally good.
I'm glad to see you're still among the living. Always good to hear your voice.
It is great to hear someone reading poetry in a voice which is so soothing in tone and very well spoken, since discovering your channel it has become a frequent ritual to listen to readings at night, and It's great that you have covered so many great poets and poems. I also must add, I have never heard a voice more suited for Bukowski poetry.
A beautiful rendition of what is for me a challanging poem.
While I fully support many of the sentiments offered by Bukowski, I am a firm beliver that WE need to be our authetic self whenever possible; the idea of reinventing oneself and 'shape-changing' conjures up a type of 'avoidance' that troubles me. Each to his/her own, but I say, find out who you are and be that person as often as possible whatever it may bring.
Thanks Tom; really made me think!
+Celtic Prince I think this poem, in part, may actually be a critique of essentialism, that there even is an authentic self for us to be true to. Similar to how the philosopher Alan Watts felt, who we are changes from moment to moment.
Rather than avoidance, I see invention/reinvention as adaptability. We can be who we need to be at any moment, and in that way we forge our own destiny. That's my interpretation of the last stanza anyway, and it's an interesting sentiment to say the least :)
any poetry gets intense in your voice. The poem that is already wonderful, comes alive in your deep voice.
Incredible voice and paired with a wonderful poem. Thanks for this..... Would love to hear "if" by Rudyard Kipling.
Thank you for your kind words. Here is 'If' by Rudyard Kipling ua-cam.com/video/tK4HDCIr_E8/v-deo.html
Tom, what can I say? You have a cracking voice and you're brilliant at what you do. Everytime I listen to any of your readings, especially Bukowski, Wilfred Owen and 'The Hollow Men', I feel like something's gonna jump out and scare me! Well done that man.
I am trying to get by in life primarily as a rapper, but I also write a bit of war poetry on the side, and all I can say is, it would be a dream come true if you read one of my poems one day.
Take care mate, all the best,
PanthaDogg.
gorges It's so good to have you back SV. Missed your southing voice that can only read these brilliant poems.
Profound poetry. So contemporary. And brilliant reading.
I adore Bukowski. And being read by you is just perfect! I could listen to you all day. Thank you for sharing with us xo
Excellent timing 8-) Consider "No Leaders Please"...shared
Thanks Charles. Thèse words and voice are helping us to be better.😀 I happy that I ll start To read a book of yours next week 🙏💪
I am delighted to see you back after such a long time! Bukowski too - perfection.
If it is not too much to ask, could you record Spike Milligan's greatest poem - one that puts him in the company of Keith Douglas in terms of its moving sadness, and literary perfection - "The Soldiers at Lauro"?
If anyone should doubt Milligan's poetic voice, they should hear this beautiful, tragic poem of survivor guilt and elegy.
I can think of no one who could do it greater service than you, and your majestic voice.
And finally, thank you for the innumerable occasions you readings have moved me to tears, and brought me closer the the poetic voice we all seek.
+p1966kful Thank you for your kind words, it feels good to be appreciated. I had never read that particular poem of Spike's before. If I can make a satisfactory reading then I'll post it. Here is the text: salamanderoasis.org/poems/m/milligan-spike/lauro.html
An excellent reading of Bukowski. Thank you as always.
inventing yourself so much would be so tiring.
Tom o'Bedlam? Where ever you are, we hope that you do well. We hope to hear more from you. And we hope that you will be remembered.
Tell me of John or Shaun? Who were Shem and Shaun the living sons or daughters of? Night now! Tell me, tell me, tell me, elm! Night night! Telmetale of stem or stone. Beside the rivering waters of, hitherandthithering waters of. Night!
James Joyce
Finnegans Wake
oh soooooooooo good! and wonderfully read!
dude, you are like a reincarnation of Charles, FREAKY, keep it up
Hi Tom, great reading. It's Magnetic. Thanks for posting.
Welcome back, sir, I discovered you back in 2010 and over the years I kept coming back. It's so good to have you still doing this.
I think this will probably get unanswered, but I'm going to try it anyway.
I wanted to know what kind of accent is this? I have a terrible mess of an accent (being non-English native), after years and years of movie watching, but lately considered the option of actively rehearsing to get a more consistent accent and I was thinking more and more of adopting the English pronunciation. But there is such a wide variety of English accents that I fear I would get a rather comical mess of a "English wanna-be" instead of a cleaner one.
Living in UK is not an option for me ATM, but I'm considering it for the next years. However, I thought of practicing by learning a few poems, and this is where your channel would help me a lot, I think. So, if I do so, what kind of accent I would get?
Thank you for your efforts and for sharing this with us.
Perfect voice for Bukowski's poems!
Wow, strangely motivational...
we miss you
I'm so happy you're back, I was worrying about what had happened to you
Thank you for Bukowski for reinstating what should be the obvious too all.
Come on Tom, practice what Bukowski preached. Reinvent yourself as your former self and resume your mission. That voice of yours should not lie fallow.
Wonderful poem and I love the video...
I love your readings very much. It would be amazing to hear you reading some of Lovecraft's work.
I couldn't stand Charles Bukowski in college, now I think I like his thoughts! :)
As always a stirring rendition!
great as always
great reading
I love your readings. I wanted to use this piece for a personal project (Non commercial). Please do let me know if you are ok with it.
+Arun Francis Yes you can. There are over 200 videos on Vimeo.com that use my readings - and not many of them asked my permission. Thanks for asking.
Anyone wanting to use Bukowski's poetry for commercial purposes should be aware that it is protected by copyright: the first thing to do is to negotiate with the copyright holder.
+SpokenVerse Thanks a ton for this. Will share the film once it is done!!
Love your readings. Would love to use this one in a non-commercial project :)
I've read somewhere before (maybe the comments) you are ok with it, but wanted to ask it anyway.
😭 I miss your videos
Hi am i allowed to use this audio for a video i am making? It isnt a commercial or anything of course just for my channel, thanks so much if you reply!!
+PhantomZ Some people do that and most don't ask permission first. Some of them get more views than I do. Yes, you can use it for a non-commercial purpose, thank you for asking.
chuck wrote braggart poetry... and it worked!
great voice bro...
why did you stop? ):
How can someone get in touch with you +spokenverse. Do you have a website or email address?
+Mo Gorge You could leave a message on my channel. I have to tell you that I don't read people's writings or do voice-over work.
+SpokenVerse I don't want a reading but I wanted your opinion on my writing. If you have the time and are inclined to do so
+SpokenVerse m.poemhunter.com/ibn-ali/
+Mo Gorge "I find it hard to give any abstract views on poetry and its present condition as I find theorizing on the subject no help to me as a writer. In fact it would be true to say that I make a point of not knowing what poetry is or how to read a page or about the function of myth. It is fatal to decide, intellectually, what good poetry is because you are then in honour bound to try to write it, instead of the poems that only you can write." Philip Larkin.
His views are better than anything I could write. You can read the rest here: www.mrbauld.com/larkinst.html
+SpokenVerse I appreciate you even taking the time to reply and I think you know good poetry but I respect your opinion
Also, could you record Larkin's 'talking in bed'?
I saw you comment that you don't do voice over work and maybe that's why you've been avoiding my attempts to contact you. I got in touch with Juan Diego Escobar, with whom you collaborated on the film Live Life Dearest and asked him how he got you to work with him on that and he said he just got in touch through this channel, that's why I've been trying here. My idea is to make a short film with a narration (by you, if you'd indulge me) of the writings of Emma Goldman, particularly some essays in Anarchism and Other Essays. I think she was really ahead of her time. This film is a passion project, not commercial in any way, and it would mean the world to me if you would at least consider my request, I really think you would bring a life to this project that is unique and wonderful. Thanks and sorry for continuously bothering you!
+JohnFelipo I can see your motivation. What's mine?
SpokenVerse I really thought about this and truth is I can't really know what motivates you to make these great videos. I would like to think your motivation is to share these great pieces of literature with a generation of people who otherwise might never come in contact with them. That is a big part of what motivates me to make this short film I have envisioned for so long. If you would give me a few minutes of your time on a Skype call, I think you'll understand my vision and see if it motivates you to be a part of this project. Thanks again for taking time to respond, regardless of what happens it really means a lot!
+JohnFelipo I like to leave voiceover work to the guys who do it for a living: they have my sympathy. I've tried it and it was misery.
When I'm posting here I'm in control. I get to read what I want to read, and how I'm going to read it, and when. When a guy sends me a script he isn't going to appreciate me telling him it's illiterate and stands no chance of success - or that I don't want to hear my voice reading it. He thinks I can make it sound like Keats or Bukowski. Also he has a deadline so I'm expected to sacrifice hours of my life. And when it doesn't come across like he thought it would he wants me to do it over, time and time again, with stage-directions such as "more intensity". And I just sound more and more pissed-off. ua-cam.com/video/FiQnH450hPM/v-deo.html
So voiceover work is not as much fun as you might think.
SpokenVerse I completely understand where you're coming from, and in the end if we can't work together it's not a problem.
But it won't be a script, it will be text straight from Emma Goldman's book, Anarchism and Other Essays. I will condense it to fit the length of a short film. Of course then it comes down to whether you find that an interesting read or subject, and I imagine that would play a big part in your involvement in the project. And there is absolutely no deadline either, since this is a passion project I want it done right rather than fast. It could take years to finish, but if it's done right I'll be happy. As of right now, there is no date set to shoot and no actors involved, it's all still in my head, but I know one of the center pieces of this project will be the narration, and that is why I reached you. Also why I said it would be similar to the film you worked on with Juan, in that you would be reading someone else's work, not an original script.
But if you still can't do it I understand, this is something dear to you and I also take care to make sure things I do for pleasure don't get ruined by work of any sort. Thank you once again for the elaborate response, it really means a lot!
+JohnFelipo I allowed Juan Diego Escobar to use an existing reading of Byron's Darkness - that's all. I don't know anything about his film Live Life Dearest.
I can't read anything about Anarchy with conviction. I don't see any point in saying anything about it, for or against, because it ain't going to happen. Anybody who has read this conversation and wants to read Emma Goldman's exposition of anarchy could start here:
dwardmac.pitzer.edu/anarchist_archives/goldman/aando/anarchism.html
I appreciate the fact that you wanted my voice for your film and I'm sorry that I can't help you. Good luck with your project. with regards, Tom
A good choice to quietly retire yourself from this channel, and leave behind your well Spoken Verses behind for all to enjoy
A selfish and conceited sentiment. We are not so special, especially if we care so much about contradicting other's notions.