Richard Burton reads 'Elegy' (for his father) by Dylan Thomas

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 25 лис 2024
  • This poem was left unfinished at Dylan Thomas' death. The first seventeen lines were untouched, but the rest was reconstructed/edited from Thomas' manuscript by his friend Vernon Watkins.
    Too proud to die; broken and blind he died
    The darkest way, and did not turn away,
    A cold kind man brave in his narrow pride
    On that darkest day, Oh, forever may
    He lie lightly, at last, on the last, crossed
    Hill, under the grass, in love, and there grow
    Young among the long flocks, and never lie lost
    Or still all the numberless days of his death, though
    Above all he longed for his mother's breast
    Which was rest and dust, and in the kind ground
    The darkest justice of death, blind and unblessed.
    Let him find no rest but be fathered and found,
    I prayed in the crouching room, by his blind bed,
    In the muted house, one minute before
    Noon, and night, and light. the rivers of the dead
    Veined his poor hand I held, and I saw
    Through his unseeing eyes to the roots of the sea.
    (An old tormented man three-quarters blind,
    I am not too proud to cry that He and he
    Will never never go out of my mind.
    All his bones crying, and poor in all but pain,
    Being innocent, he dreaded that he died
    Hating his God, but what he was was plain:
    An old kind man brave in his burning pride.
    The sticks of the house were his; his books he owned.
    Even as a baby he had never cried;
    Nor did he now, save to his secret wound.
    Out of his eyes I saw the last light glide.
    Here among the light of the lording sky
    An old man is with me where I go
    Walking in the meadows of his son's eye
    On whom a world of ills came down like snow.
    He cried as he died, fearing at last the spheres'
    Last sound, the world going out without a breath:
    Too proud to cry, too frail to check the tears,
    And caught between two nights, blindness and death.
    O deepest wound of all that he should die
    On that darkest day. oh, he could hide
    The tears out of his eyes, too proud to cry.
    Until I die he will not leave my side.)

КОМЕНТАРІ • 66

  • @carolcoupland6363
    @carolcoupland6363 3 роки тому +23

    Too frail to catch the tears. Emotionally charged and beautifully recited. Two great Welshmen.

  • @maaidakausar9802
    @maaidakausar9802 2 роки тому +10

    Incredible incredible incredible poetry and Burton,s voice

  • @MrGranfield
    @MrGranfield 10 років тому +31

    "Till I die he will not leave my side"......and......."Poor in all but pain".
    What a word smith Thomas was and what a voice Burton had!

  • @Jonners97
    @Jonners97 6 років тому +20

    One of my favourite pieces ever. "Out of his eyes I saw the last light glide. Here among the light of the light of the lording sky an old man is with me where I go walking in the meadows of his son's eye...". Just absolutely divine.

  • @karenfoster2394
    @karenfoster2394 2 роки тому +8

    The superstar of oratory.👍❤️❤️

  • @ianskidmore
    @ianskidmore 13 років тому +17

    These later readings are the best of Burton- and that is saying something. We shall never hear his like again

  • @dylan618
    @dylan618 13 років тому +37

    "Too proud to cry, too frail to check the tears" -- perhaps the best line of the poem!

    • @Westyrulz
      @Westyrulz 4 роки тому +3

      Yes I quite agree.

  • @MSYNGWIE12
    @MSYNGWIE12 2 роки тому +9

    Two of my most admired, lusted after men- Burton's voice alone gives me goosebumps...

  • @mbforever3981
    @mbforever3981 9 років тому +16

    Terrific!!!!!!! Dylan Thomas and Burton, pure gold.

  • @1stDrakePassage
    @1stDrakePassage 9 років тому +78

    I believe Richard Burton had the greatest voice in the English speaking world. Since his death 30 years ago I've not heard another one that compares to it.

    • @TheDoubleNickel
      @TheDoubleNickel 8 років тому +1

      +1stDrakePassage Morgan Freeman?

    • @redchthonic
      @redchthonic 7 років тому

      Patrick Stewart in Moby Dick?

    • @PlasticTumbleWeed
      @PlasticTumbleWeed 6 років тому

      Anthony Hopkins ?

    • @redchthonic
      @redchthonic 6 років тому +6

      It's great as it's not theatrical, just beautiful.

    • @julievanberkel3058
      @julievanberkel3058 5 років тому +3

      Richard Burton has the best male voice and Vanessa Redgrave has the best female voice, I think.

  • @Ruthbxny
    @Ruthbxny 11 років тому +13

    The man is was simply amazing.! Love Richard Burton wish he were still with us.!

  • @michaelhamiltonberry6536
    @michaelhamiltonberry6536 11 років тому +9

    Dylan Thomas was a wonderful poet ! Happy Birthday , dear chronicler of life as experienced by we humans . Your descriptions live on , immortal Bard .

  • @oliviacasino8888
    @oliviacasino8888 3 роки тому +15

    No doubt the beauty of Elizabeth Taylor was breathtaking but I submit the voice of Richard Burton brings one to blended knee in reverence.

  • @jeffwells3110
    @jeffwells3110 5 років тому +6

    My favorite poem by the great Welsh poet!!!

  • @8nansky528
    @8nansky528 3 роки тому +4

    I ADORE READING

  • @8nansky528
    @8nansky528 4 роки тому +6

    I ADORE Richard Burton

  • @passemoilesol
    @passemoilesol Рік тому +1

    Great actors,many of them, but the voice,genetic inheritage ,trained ,educated ,to end up by catching without purpose our attention, is their signature We are definitely unequal before life,vocal chords, but posessed with charm and mystery at the first encounter Hearing, a sense without filter. An instrument to serve words.

  • @robertm7071
    @robertm7071 3 роки тому +22

    In an age of banality, this is food for the soul.

  • @TheGodParticle
    @TheGodParticle 2 роки тому +1

    Beautiful. Miss this incredible Man.

  • @mrzed2349
    @mrzed2349 7 років тому +33

    This man can read the telephone book and I'll still be enthralled

    • @gunner678
      @gunner678 3 місяці тому

      'Broad sword calling Danny boy'

  • @suzannewitchhazel2895
    @suzannewitchhazel2895 9 років тому +12

    but you can hear the welsh tones, phrases, and emphasis it is warm and draws you into the prose

  • @lilabalz
    @lilabalz 10 років тому +18

    Richard Burton, I love you :)))

  • @oldgymrat71
    @oldgymrat71 9 років тому +4

    Dylan Thomas' recitation is best of all.

  • @clackmannanbowling
    @clackmannanbowling 12 років тому +5

    the man was so special when he spoke and dont know if the new war of the worlds will be up to the standard he set

  • @OthelloNGa
    @OthelloNGa 3 місяці тому

    "until I die he will not leave my side" I feel that one.

  • @brynjarhoff-lr6hw
    @brynjarhoff-lr6hw Рік тому +1

    God bless you Burton there you are..

  • @chessdad182
    @chessdad182 4 місяці тому

    UA-cam is such a blessing.

  • @Sandra-hc4vo
    @Sandra-hc4vo Рік тому

    beautiful reading!

  • @SusanWhiteley-yo8lt
    @SusanWhiteley-yo8lt Рік тому

    Beautiful

  • @karenfoster2394
    @karenfoster2394 Рік тому

    Such innocence. Such love

  • @andrewbeadle1517
    @andrewbeadle1517 8 років тому +6

    I'm listening to this in a deeply melancholic state..on the night we lose euro 2016 semi final much more real fears and losses surface. The uncertain future, it will destroy many..the poetry is all I need now

  • @klewis5801AZ
    @klewis5801AZ 4 роки тому +4

    The reading is almost prophetic ......

  • @greatmusicfan57
    @greatmusicfan57 10 років тому +34

    Richard Burton could read Dr. Seuss and make it sound like Shakespeare:)

  • @d034607
    @d034607 9 років тому +3

    Wow...

  • @callumclogher3774
    @callumclogher3774 7 років тому +8

    "And caught between two nights: darkness and death"

  • @jeanniereed
    @jeanniereed 2 роки тому

    a btilliant rendering

  • @johnknofla242
    @johnknofla242 4 роки тому

    💙💙💙💙

  • @RichardBurton.
    @RichardBurton. Рік тому

    ✋😬

  • @coracleman
    @coracleman 13 років тому +3

    richard burton was not a racist end of.
    coraclewoman

  • @sirsidfosse1313
    @sirsidfosse1313 6 років тому +3

    Great talent. Shame he destroyed himself with all that booze.

  • @JETHRO6539
    @JETHRO6539 9 років тому +1

    Burton greatest voice? Olivier?

  • @michaelhamiltonberry6536
    @michaelhamiltonberry6536 11 років тому +2

    Dylan Thomas Wrote these words, not Richard Burton. Poems or movie stars ?

    • @kateboulton8789
      @kateboulton8789 Рік тому

      Who said otherwise? But if anyone has the right to speak them and give them feeling, it is a fellow Welsh man. Hearing Burton speak these words has the same effect as listening to a Welsh Male voice choir...your ears hear the words/music but the words/music speak directly to your soul.

  • @JETHRO6539
    @JETHRO6539 9 років тому +7

    Burton greatest voice? Olivier?

    • @lindaodd9681
      @lindaodd9681 Рік тому

      No 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Richard has a simple honest approach-Olivier too theatrical for me.

  • @JETHRO6539
    @JETHRO6539 9 років тому +3

    Burton greatest voice? Olivier?