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A new volume reintroduces Walter de la Mare’s eccentric, haunted, sonically rich poetry.
A strong sense of wonder let Walter de La Mare write mysterious, ethereal poems and stories that can give chills to both young and old—he was a “poet of dusk.” Born in Kent, the “garden of England,” he grew up immersed in nature, but settled in London in 1890, where he worked in an office.
Walter de la Mare. ‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller, Knocking on the moonlit door; And his horse in the silence champed the grasses. Of the forest’s ferny floor: And a bird flew up out of the turret, Above the Traveller’s head: And he smote upon the door again a second time; ‘Is there anybody there?’ he said.
Walter John de la Mare OM CH (/ ˈ d ɛ l ə ˌ m ɛər /; [1] 25 April 1873 – 22 June 1956) was an English poet, short story writer and novelist. He is probably best remembered for his works for children , for his poem "The Listeners", [ 2 ] and for his psychological horror short fiction, including "Seaton's Aunt" and "All Hallows".
This is Walter de la Mare's most famous poem. All children of my generation would have learned it by heart at school. It remains in fact, one of my very favourite poems.
Compared to de la Mare's other works, The Listeners is a more restrained and subtle poem. It explores similar themes of loneliness and isolation, but it does so in a more understated and atmospheric way. The poem's setting and language are carefully crafted to create a sense of mystery and wonder.
Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) was the prolific author of many volumes of poetry, short stories and novels, including one of the most enduringly popular poems in the English language, ‘The Listeners’. Born in Charlton, Kent, he was educated at St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir School in London.
