Episode Overview
Podcast: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Host: Maggie Smith
Episode: 1382: "Lamb" by Richie Hofmann
Air Date: October 27, 2025
In this episode, Maggie Smith explores the deep comfort and enduring attachments found in childhood objects—specifically, beloved stuffed animals and dolls—using both her personal reflections and the evocative poem "Lamb" by Richie Hofmann. The episode delves into themes of nostalgia, security, familial continuity, and the meaning small tokens hold throughout generations.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Maggie Smith’s Personal Reflection on Comfort Objects
[00:36 – 02:50]
- Maggie opens up about her own beloved childhood doll, "Pink Baby," which she received at 10 months old and slept with until her teenage years.
- She humorously admits, “Yes, I'm admitting to sleeping with a ratty baby doll way past the age that I probably should have been sleeping with a ratty baby doll.” [00:54]
- Maggie draws a parallel between her comfort object and those of her children, sharing how “Pink Baby” was passed down to her son, who cherished the same “smooth coolness of her plastic face.” [01:32]
- She describes how these objects remain part of family identity and memory: “Pink Baby is part of the family...She's in his bedroom somewhere, but I know she's there. That gives me comfort.” [02:17]
Transition to Today's Poem
[02:30 – 02:50]
- Maggie introduces the poem "Lamb" by Richie Hofmann, noting how it instantly transported her to her own childhood feelings of attachment and potential loss:
“Today's poem brought me right back to being a young girl with a beloved doll. Back then it would have been unbearable to be separated.” [02:27]
Featured Poem: “Lamb” by Richie Hofmann
[02:51 – 04:10]
- The poem centers on a childhood stuffed lamb, described as imperfect (“who only had one eye”), and follows the speaker through vivid memories of travel, parental warnings, and moments of separation and reunion.
- Lines of note:
- “I had a lamb I brought everywhere who only had one eye.” [02:52]
- “At the train stations all the grown ups would say, be mindful of your things, little boy. Someone will steal right out of your pocket or Take the watch off your wrist.” [02:55]
- “I remember falling asleep putting my finger in the hole where it used to be.” [03:43]
- “Once he had to go in an overhead bin and he was freezing when I kissed him again.” [03:57]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the emotional stability provided by objects:
“But we love what we love and we get comfort where we get comfort.”
— Maggie Smith, [00:53] -
On family and continuity:
“Pink Baby is part of the family ... but I know she's there. That gives me comfort. I'd be so sad to lose her after all these years.”
— Maggie Smith, [02:17] -
On imperfection and memory:
“I don't remember when the eye became unglued and who knows where it went on long train rides. I remember falling asleep putting my finger in the hole where it used to be.”
— Richie Hofmann (poem), [03:43]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Personal Reflection on Pink Baby: 00:36 – 02:27
- Transition to the Poem: 02:27 – 02:50
- Reading of “Lamb” by Richie Hofmann: 02:51 – 04:10
Episode Tone & Takeaway
Maggie Smith speaks with warmth, gentle self-deprecation, and empathy, inviting listeners to recall their own sources of comfort from childhood. The reading of “Lamb” resonates emotionally, offering vivid, tactile detail and a bittersweet meditation on memory and attachment. The episode invites listeners to reflect on what seemingly small objects mean in our inner lives, and how the layers of nostalgia and loss connect us to both our past selves and our loved ones.