Poetry Unbound Bonus — Walter de la Mare

Host: Pádraig Ó Tuama (On Being Studios)
Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This special bonus episode of Poetry Unbound features host Pádraig Ó Tuama sharing a personal favorite: Walter de la Mare’s haunting poem “The Listeners.” As Season 10 concludes, Pádraig offers listeners an intimate, reflective experience, reciting the poem from memory and exploring its emotional resonance and enduring questions. The episode is set in a cozy, home-recorded atmosphere, inviting listeners into personal storytelling and the lyrical world of de la Mare.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal Connection: A Lifelong Relationship with the Poem

• Early Encounter: Pádraig first encountered “The Listeners” at age seven, inspired by hearing his older sister learn it for school. He longed to memorize it and eagerly anticipated his own chance.
• Childhood Fascination: He would "read it every few months in anticipation," a ritual indicating a deep early love of poetry and words.
  • “Which probably says a lot about the kind of child I was.” (05:16)

A Full Recitation: “The Listeners” by Walter de la Mare

• [01:08] — [03:16] Pádraig recites the poem in its entirety, emphasizing its atmosphere, rhythm, and imagery.
  • The mysterious traveler knocks on a moonlit door, seeking an answer from the spectral “listeners.”
  • The setting is eerie and quiet, with attention to the sounds (the horse champing the grasses, a bird flying up, the stillness in the house).
  • The traveler’s message—“Tell them I came and no one answered, that I kept my word”—punctuates the sense of unresolved longing and purpose.

Reflections on the Poem

• Dramatic Tension & Sound:
  • “I love this poem, the drama of it, the music of it, and the sound.” (03:23)
  • Pádraig is captivated by the poem’s auditory qualities—the “delicious alliteration” of “champed the grasses of the forest’s ferny floor.”
• Enduring Questions:
  • Who are the listeners? Why did the traveler need to keep his word? What compelled him on this “pilgrimage” and declaration?
  • “Like, what was it that drove him to have to make this pilgrimage, this declaration? It's almost like he's bearing witness to something that he has to say. I spoke it aloud.” (03:40)

The Importance of Speaking Aloud

• There are truths we feel compelled to declare, even when no one seems to be listening. Pádraig muses on this need to bear witness, addressing the living and the dead alike:
  • “It's one of the things I think that the poem knows is that there's things in us that we need to speak aloud, even to the dead.” (03:53)

A Special Attention to the Horse

• The horse recurs within the poem. Pádraig dwells on their presence, mood, and importance.
  • “I always want to know how do the horses feel? ...I wonder, were they anxious, were they aware?” (04:09)
  • The vivid description appeals to Pádraig’s senses: “His horse in the silence champed the grasses of the forest's ferny floor at delicious alliteration. Fff.” (04:19)

Poetry as Lifelong Sustenance

• Memorizing the poem became a cherished part of Pádraig’s life, a sustaining force:
  • “It set something off that kept me alive for years and still keeps me alive.” (06:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Reciting from Memory:
  • “There's things in us that we need to speak aloud, even to the dead.” — Pádraig Ó Tuama (03:53)
• Wondering About the Horse:
  • “I always want to know how do the horses feel? Ever since I learned this poem, I have been particularly interested in the horses.” (04:09)
• Family Influence:
  • “I was so transfixed by hearing her [my older sister] say it aloud. And I couldn't wait until I was 11 so I could learn it too.” (04:33)
• On the Poem's Impact:
  • “It set something off that kept me alive for years and still keeps me alive.” (06:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:03] – Pádraig greets listeners, shares context for the bonus episode and personal setup
• [01:08] – [03:16] – Full recitation: “The Listeners” by Walter de la Mare
• [03:23] – [05:07] – Pádraig’s reflections, questions about the poem, and focus on language/music
• [04:09] – Musing on the presence and feelings of the horse
• [05:25] – Childhood story: learning the poem alongside his sister
• [06:05] – Gratitude to listeners, comments on community, future of Poetry Unbound

Tone & Atmosphere

• The episode is intimate, reflective, and filled with fond, almost wistful admiration for poetry. Pádraig’s narration feels like a gentle conversation by a fireside—open-hearted, warmly nostalgic, and centered in the sensory joy of poetry spoken aloud.

Final Thoughts

This bonus episode delivers more than a reading—it’s a living testament to the power of poetry memorized, the mysteries that stir at the edge of our questions, and the grounding comfort of recited words. Through Pádraig’s musings, listeners are drawn not only to the haunting beauty of “The Listeners,” but also to the ways poetry becomes a lifelong companion, awakening curiosity and connection.