Richard Burton reads Ernest Dowson's poem 'Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae'

Ernest Dowson's most celebrated poem read by one of the most celebrated voices of our time.
The title of the poem refers to Horace's Odes, Book 4 poem 1 lines 3 and 4. In English:
Trust me, I am not the same
As in the reign of Cinara, kind and fair.

[@emilystockard8027]

certainly he performs the reading very swiftly. but his rendition is growing on me. the breathless quality captures something of the poem's essence.

[@gracedale5808]

My favourite poem read by the best poetry reader ever. No-one can come near Richard Burton for the reading or reciting of poetry. He is in a class of his own

[@DayOfAMindReader]

Wonderful. One of my favourite poems read by one of my favourite voices.

[@horvideo1]

I'm Spanish, and I love this poem by Ernest Dowson. There's so much ansiety and melancoly and desperation in it. It's related to the poet's deep sentiments of desperation, due to the marriage of the girl he loves to somebody else. The poem it's full of metaphors: "flung roses, roses riotously with the throng".

[@LeonMalinofsky]

Astonished at Burton's precipitous tempo-- I've always liked this poem read more reflectively, slower.

[@larsnewbould456]

Agreed. Way too fast. Sounds irritated rather than tormented.

[@PlantagentFeathering]

Possibly the most beautiful, decadent and disturbing poems I have ever heard.

[@albanvic]

The ever-stunning Richard Burton....Total beauty which this generation knows nothing about. I will not be sorry to leave this lunatic world packed with uneducated mindless crackpots.

[@gracedale5808]

I love Richard Burton reading poetry and this poem 'Cynarea' is one of my favourites

[@kevinmunoz3321]

Gorgeous

[@DBSYT]

Donald Sinden gives a much better recitation, in a short film entitled “Two Loves”, that is very hard find online. I saw it years ago, and have been trying to find it again, but to no avail.

[@horvideo1]

This poem inspired, Margaret Mitchell, the title for her famous novel. It leaves me cold the maner in which Richard Burton recites the poem: flatly and too fast.

[@anniemay4547]

Both Burton and Reed both left big footprints upon the earth..

[@dae1366]

wonderful, taut and precise delivery, the latin name pronounced correctly, a masterclass

[@ajosephthielenproduction3897]

Ah hopeless love❤

[@NnamdiAzikiwe_keyamsha]

Click on setting and change the playback speed. Either .75 or .85, seem about the same but give a different reading.

[@yukiomishima8031]

I am just after spending some time in Bedlam, then, i read his poem, "To one in Bedlam." Ernest Dowson, Arthur Symons and Algernon Swinburne - I must find out more.

[@jolcom6204]

I think Burton's rapid reading was not a deliberate choice; I'm guessing this piece was played back at too fast a speed. Note that not only does he speak very quickly, but his voice is in a higher register than normal. Putting those things together indicates an analog source with everything at a higher frequency. It's not as simple as playing a 33 1/3 RPM recording at 45. It sounds like it's about 15% too fast. In short, whatever the original source, tape or disk, for this video, it was played back at the wrong speed. I'd love to hear this slowed down a little.

[@NnamdiAzikiwe_keyamsha]

I played it at .75 percent speed. It has a totally different tone. Give it a try. Thanks to you I will try it at .85 percent and see how that goes.

[@WarKooban]

Came here because of that British book guy

[@cynaraslover]

I've adored this poem for 56 years, since I was 14 years old, and I later wrote a thesis on Ernest Allison. But Burton reads this far too quickly, and almost incomprehensibly. And he doesn't even pronounce the title character correctly, it is CYNara not cynARA.

[@MarionTee]

Gorgeous poem but sadly the wonderful RB reads it too fast and with not much feeling.

[@rosiecider100]

So is cynara dead?..reference to lillies?.or is it "love the one your with?",faithful to thee, in my fashion!In mind and soul if not body?

[@Makedonwow]

Voice sounds a bit like John Hurt's or is it just me? :( Quite a delinquent poem tho

[@JoachimderZweite]

You are joking right? Irony?

[@TrevsMum]

"flatly and too fast." - exactly my reaction, very disappointing. Maybe it felt a bit close to home, for him? I wonder why he recorded it?

[@HinduMilitant]

Too drab and abrupt recitation. Disappointing. But most beautiful ❤ lost love poem in the world. I cry each time I read it.

[@Anarcissie]

Too fast, too burly. You would do better to read it yourself and savor it.

[@EuSeiT]

This is not reading, 'tis galloping through a poem, yikes!