Tom Veitch

Tom Veitch (; September 26, 1941 – February 14, 2022) was an American writer, known for his work in the comic book industry. He was also a novelist and a poet. He was the brother of comics writer and artist Rick Veitch.

Early life Veitch was born on September 26, 1941, as the oldest of six children. His family moved from Walpole, New Hampshire, to Bellows Falls, Vermont. He attended Columbia University. While living in New York City, he published his first book Literary Days (1964).

From 1965 to 1968, Veitch was a Benedictine monk at Weston Priory. In 1968, he moved to San Francisco and started a poetry magazine, the Tom Veitch Magazine.

Prose and poetry Veitch's novels include: The Luis Armed Story (Full Court Press, 1978); Eat This! (Angel Hair Books, 1974); and Antlers in the Treetops, written with poet Ron Padgett (Coach House Press, 1970). His poetry collection Death College and Other Poems, with an afterword by Allen Ginsberg, was published in 1976 by Bill Berkson's Big Sky Books.

During his years as a Benedictine monk, Veitch formed friendships with two former Trappists. One of those men, whose religious name was Elias, agreed to be interviewed by Tom and discuss his inner spiritual life, covering a period of more than fifty years. The result was the book The Visions of Elias, published in 2016 by Sky River Books.

Personal life and death Veitch was married to Martha Veitch, and they had a daughter named Angelica.

He died from COVID-19 in Bellows Falls, Vermont, on February 14, 2022, at the age of 80, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vermont.