Buddy Wakefield - The Information Man

[SynestheticSoul]

Awesome.

[Phaedrus6]

Wow, just wow

[mfl728]

"The information man's eyes grab me and then shift back and forth like mopping floors with the sweat I sweat in the battles against myself." GOD DAMN!!!

[HamzehFMalkawi]

What I love about this specific piece, is that there's so much to wrap your head around. Gets you thinking. Pure genius.

[KatiGaston]

I think of this poem litterally EVERY day

[ThtOneGrl]

Tears of joy, bewilderment, sadness, epiphanies, enlightenment, and self love are streaming down my face. <3

[themindcatcher]

Excellent!!!!

[galt0912]

because even at your worst, you are fucking incredible, so return to yourself, even if you're already there, because no matter where you go or how hard you try, or what you do, the only person you will ever get to be, and i know it, thank god, is YOU. that is the most beautiful line i have ever heard in anything.

[kncstylist]

"It takes a long time to make love with someone who hates themselves" the truth... thank you.

[endlightend]

Nice.

Also looks kind of like John Malkovich.

[anticliche321]

I think this poem just saved my life. 

[rorkimaru]

The flat-lines of small talk will give us life. Ok, that's pretty epic!

[DashingAmerican]

Fucking Amazing.

[Vinicide]

On the other end of this space, I am standing like shoe polish on an overstocked shelf hoping that one day, someone will pick me to make things better...

[vicpdt]

wow.

[GarudaPSN]

That was... wow. I've been checking the playlist, but this one was just fucking amazing.

[fathomthegist]

Holy smokes and river toads . That was good.

[OoAtowno0]

"Forgiveness is the thought of giving up all hope of trying to change the past" - Buddy Wakefield

Shit gave me chills when I heard it live.

[donisha9]

I cry everytime I liseten to this song..

[1324Jessica1324]

He just came to my school today, he was amazing!

[paintthetwndead]

I've never been one for poetry, but I really love Buddy. Even though most of it still goes over my head because I'm not too great with allegory, I can still find the beauty in it.

[emannershyatt]

and the flying rocks fucking hurt.

[e5fxt]

awsome

[matthewboxx]

Buddy is playing this Monday in my town! I'm stoked!

[chaosrising13666]

This guy came to my school, told the faculty to stop tightening their anus's and he gave me a hug afterword. :D He's amazing

[seebrandt87]

buddy wakefield is something serious

[mfl728]

That was AWESOME! I've heard so much about Buddy Wakefield, but I've never actually seen a solo performance of his. I loved every second of this.

[stoppre88]

He came to my high school a few years ago to just watch our class do a poetry slam..very nerve wracking but sublime and beautiful all in one..weird feeling.

[BlackAtticus]

i've been listening to this poem for months

[samsamlake]

I am speechless.

[DomineDeus777]

once in a while...i have to re-watch this...a few times over...i just love this one...and repair guitar woman...and the convenience stores...

[yzitam]

dude. this guy is a like my slam hero. he makes me wanna do this kind of stuff. thank you so much dude.

[Padooshka]

The best spoken word poem i've ever heard.... i get mad chills as soon as the "info guys finally pipes up like C.R. Avery on a piano box"....dope....

[Padooshka]

the part where he chokes up gets me every time. To see him start to cry makes me feel sooooo vulnerable.

[RadiantSun478]

when this ended, i thought, "that just happened!" and it was incredible :)

[Padooshka]

buddy is the shit... nuff said.

[tulipx39]

i absolutely adore this being. what a damn good person.

[spray31]

This is absaloutly incredible ''somehow the flatlines of smalktalk will give us like, I want them to leave'' That pretty much sums up my life im sick of it, but then again were all guilty of it.. this is amazing it almost reduced me to tears..

[LittleMissOptimist]

Every time I hear Buddy, it feels like my heart is about to burst out of my chest. When his voice starts breaking, tears well in my eyes. This is amazing. I can only hope one day I'll be able to trigger those sorts of emotions. Buddy Wakefield is the best poet of our time. Nuff said.

[superbigboy1324]

1:52 gets me every time.

[85JEWilliams]

"The only person you are ever going to get to be, and I know it, thank god, is you" 

[littlelizzipoo]

i get chills everytime!

[straightedgexlife]

iloveyoubuddy

[Littlelily502]

One of my favs by Buddy....I honestly think everyone needs to have some Buddy in their lives...might do some good.

[juggalojesta]

@Littlelily502 No argument there. So many people can live their lives by giving advice that they cannot live by, but if everyone gave the same advice to everyone they met with a Simple "Love yourself more then any other person" the world would be a better place.

[SypherPhoenix]

Absolutely Amazing......

[straightedgexlife]

iloveyoubud

[jeff3232323]

he did this at our school today

[ohwello]

i'm not a big fan of poetry. but something about this gives me chills

[drunkennewfiemidget]

@ohwello Me too -- I'm a very literal person. Metaphors, and undertones and reading between the lines are not my strong suits. I write software for a living, and am very binary.

That said, Buddy's poetry is pretty amazing. Seen him live twice now. If you get the chance, do it. It's even better in person.

[elenaisnotamexican]

The Answer...

I love.

"the best songs are about georgia, even though I've never been there."

"yes, you are the center of the universe."

"I know that everything is out there. that's why they call it everything."

[frankkalani]

the last 3 minutes hit home.

[rayselM]

@frankkalani for me too. i swear i played it over and over

[hereandnowboys]

Awesome.

[befuchs]

at 3:31 when he almost cries i almost cry. Fuckin powerful

[stickysponge]

Hahahha. Some people keep voting down all the nice comments... I say we all give them thumbs up! :D

[SilkyJhonson]

love buddy

[SilkyJhonson]

love buddy

[cavan132]

I first heard Buddy on Indiefeed's poetry podcast. Along with Mike McGee and Derrick Brown they are my favorite i've heard can anyone reccomend other similar poets?

[kuscanski]

Anis Mojgani is great, Shane Koyczan was one of the pioneers of spoken word. Keep youtubing. you can find some great stuff, but Indiefeed has some gems every once in a while too!

[fauxpasprod]

Andrea Gibson

[frenchfry101]

@cavan132 shira erlichman is one of my favorites. jared singer is also good, but he only has two or three poems on youtube. and andrea gibson is one of my favorites as well, but her style is a bit diffrent. happy poem hunting!

[MutantFrk]

Sage Francis?

[Cvoss89]

They are actually really good friends. Sage claims Buddy to be an inspiration to him.

[strangefamousrecords]

@Cvoss89 Ummm no. That has never been said. Promise.

[punkrockgirlradio]

this is the most perfect poem in the world, hands down.

[kanagui]

Mr. Wakefield is plain making it hard for poets. good...good...be diamond.

[OM3N1R]

yo neyaphim. I understand how you feel.

It's the distance of bravery.

[OM3N1R]

Is it wrong that I use Buddy as a drug?

Everytime I feel down, I listen to this.

It brings me up.

I am me, fuck who needs to deal with it.

With love.

[warrenthomas4001]

What a way to end the night... After watching 36 videos of ragtime piano, an abrupt switch to psychotic recitation! My brain hurts!

[OM3N1R]

Welcome to the future.

WOW.

tears have been shed

from my harmonica pocket!

[OM3N1R]

Oh my god. I thought "Flockprinter" was as good as it got. I am literally typing this through my tears. If you see this Buddy, I want you tp know that you are having a positive influence on the world! THANK YOU!

[UniQueLyEviL]

Why are people voting down these people leaving such warm, heartfelt comments??

[shig27frag]

His passion is incredible. He almost makes himself cry sometimes.

[RennysWedding]

Listen to the voice in the begining, its hilarious.

[RennysWedding]

I want to imagine his mind.

[TLERocker]

"Even at your worst, you are fucking incredible"

[AirbagDeployed]

I'm sure this guy is one of the originals, but oh shit... His performance style is so uber-slam.

[cleaveland13]

And it is said that the truth shall set you FREE! Thank you Buddy for me.

[neyaphim]

HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF THIS GUY!!!! in all my short long years in the search for truth i have seen little and known none and now here, here is this perfectly flawed soul speaking the words and breathing the voice that i know in my heart might be true if only they came from my heart and not his head.

[stephhaliciousx]

I love him.

Hey I am having the HARDEST time looking for the lyrics (or poem) written online. Does anyone know of a good site that actually has this written?

Thank you very much!

[wecanhealthis]

buys his books, Some They Can't Contain and LIVE FOR A LIVING...it's all there.

[FutureRain]

You wont find them online really. You can go to his website and search through his journals, he sometimes posts them there.

Best to just buy his books (they are only like 15$ + signed), They are amazing and well worth it. Plus they have pieces that aren't on his CDs or anything.

[Sebbastar]

buy the book,, hm,, i just did,, been thinking of making a webside with his poems,, just type them in there,, would that be legal? :P

[keepitthuggin101]

omg i met him today at school =D

[joekowalke]

You can now follow buddy on Twitter! Search @buddywakefield

[Apradavra]

Buddy, Saul Williams, and Sage Francis came to my college (NMU) on a tour during either 03 or 04. I opened up for them because i was member of the Poets Society. I had no idea the greatness I would see that night. I was able to buy several of Buddy's chapbooks which he personally signed and spoke with me at length about his time spent driving around the country in his car jusT hitting open mics. That night changed my life. I perform slam here in Portland.

[Eimajon]

He's so full he's overflowing. It's beautiful. I've seriously watched this clip over and over. "stop inviting walls into wide open spaces"

[Silentbutsure9]

"Stop inviting wall into wide open spaces."

beautiful.

[redrider4show]

3:11 on: the most profound poetry I have ever heard. The kind that makes me think, keeps me up at night, and then gives me dreams.

[olvr1902]

I can only imagine the feeling he gets after finishing his piece, turning around to leave, and hearing that thunderous roar of applause... it is so very much deserved.

[Smokey2300]

this is my fav shit ever too..

[BryndisLilja]

this video, is awesome. this man, is unbelievably, incredibly awesome.. his body language makes the poem so much more, and I love it!! :D can´t describe it, but I love it

[drunkennewfiemidget]

If you haven't seen him live, keep an eye out to see when he's near you. It'll give you goosebumps.

[marylehcar]

"i know everything is out there. Its why they call it everything" :)

[rizzumz]

" Fiddle with fate and make music"

"Powerful words"

What power do they hold.. what does fiddling with fate and make music mean... i understand that they are aesthetically pleasing to the ear but what do they mean?.. maybe i should listen to the rest of the poem

[queezyfb]

"I have not yet rested."

[2HDDragon]

Buddy is one of the most brilliant poets I have ever watched live - his work are like gospels.

[Austinlikespie]

This is my favorite thing ever

[obemalto]

you all should listen to him speak "human the death dance". I think that one is even more powerful in a different way.

[fili44]

' i know everything is out there, thats why they call it everything' wow that made me shiver, this man is a genius.

[olvr1902]

by GOD

poetry flows through this man as easily as blood through his veins. he grabs the mic and takes the reins, explains his pains like a sad child, looking out a window on the day it rains.

brilliant, 5 stars and favourited.

[BigDaddyFreddy]

I remember when Buddy Wakefield was at the Sage Francis concert in CO, his name wasnt even on the ticket but when he walked on stage everyone went dead silent... Amazing man

[3rdeye15]

goosebumps always after listening to this man... i truly love this art...

[LostBronteSister]

Buddy Wakefield came to my school with other poets from the Junkyard Ghost Revival and it was incredible. As much as I love the written word, his poems become something else entirely when spoken

[UrbanHunters]

I keep comeing back to this poem, it is real inspiration for our vids and life ;-)

[drunkennewfiemidget]

Holy shit this man is a genius.

I'd never heard of him until he opened for Ani Difranco at a show last year in Toronto.

Pure genius.

[BishkekRushin]

He is amazing.

I spent 10 days with him.

Lovelovelove him and his speeches.

[watchitlugnuts]

Buddy Wakefield is a really, really, really beautiful creature.

[itsanonobutwelikeit]

this is a brilliant and beautiful thing.

it made me cry.

[QueenJaKqui]

...fiddle with fate and make music...

powerful lyrics

[spartan89d]

Buddy Wakefield ftw tbh.

[VTskibaby]

that was really cool. i never watched anything like that before.

[docmaker]

This is one of my favorite pieces and this performance of it is amazing!!! Buddy Wakefield is the man!

[OtherWorld]

I understand certain things but not the whole thing please explain this poem to me.

[isismelting]

since i'm rather sure i know this piece well, i'd be glad to try at answering any more specific questions you've.

[drumsfightingandstuf]

This is so much better than the version of this poem on his website.

[tuphin3]

Im bout to see him at BU tonight!!!

[superdude2510]

Buddy.......he is just the best of the best

[lucidsainttx]

buddy... thank you very very much

[crazednewt]

While this is going on in the background, I'm really glad a skit about a cat dying is being featured.

[wasmonkey]

If i didnt already know how amazing you truely are I'd be in tears right now.

[syer5437]

fucking dope. eyedea has some good spoken word.

these guys give me hope.

[xhellabentx]

you are fuckin incredible

[tuphin3]

See ya Buddy at Brandeis with Saul Williams on the 19th.

[chadmilerna]

i saw him do this one in minneapolis, i got goosebumps like seven times over. this guy's amazing

[xbry89x]

I'm going to see him on the 18'th at my college :D

According to most people around here, he's good. I'm looking forward to it.

[ASithTheyCalledEmo]

"Good" doesn't even begin to cover it.

[mcminn01]

it was pretty good... i need to find a place around here to do this stuff. but the only that bugs me about this video, is the comments... aren't comments supposed to be about the video?! not a forum for this tough guy back and forth... i hate when these idiots type crap like *rolls eys* or *walks away*... this is the internet... if you don't actually have something to say, then don't bother. nobody wants a written description of your body language...

[ChronicGshit]

i saw buddy live last night, he opened for ani difranco in toronto, it was the first i ever heard of him and he fuckin rocked the house!!!!!!!!!