Who wrote the poem “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil”?

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the poem collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

The book was published in 1962 and contains sixteen poems. Its title poem concerns Tom Bombadil, the mysterious character who appears in The Fellowship of the Ring. The collection also includes poems about Middle-earth subjects and works presented as Hobbit or Shire traditions.

Tolkien framed many of the poems as texts translated or collected by fictional characters. This approach makes the volume feel like part of the literary history of Middle-earth rather than a straightforward modern poetry book. The poems vary widely in tone, including comic verse, songs, lore, and darker material.

Tom Bombadil himself is a distinctive figure whose nature is never fully explained in the narrative. Tolkien’s decision to omit him from the published film trilogy has made the character especially notable to readers comparing the books with later adaptations. The poetry collection offers additional context for his songs and world.