Motley, and other poems

audiobook

Motley, and other poems

by Walter De la Mare

EN·~36 minutes·48 chapters

Chapters

48 total

THE LITTLE SALAMANDER

0:17

THE LINNET

0:25

THE SUNKEN GARDEN

0:41

THE RIDDLERS

1:53

MOONLIGHT

0:19

THE BLIND BOY

0:38

THE QUARRY

0:33

MRS. GRUNDY

1:15

THE TRYST

1:11

ALONE

0:43

Description

A gently varied tapestry of verse opens this collection, inviting listeners into quiet gardens, moon‑lit evenings, and the secret lives of birds. The poet’s eye moves from the delicate flutter of a linnet on a thorny branch to the deeper shadows of a sunken garden where herbs whisper forgotten sorrows. Each piece balances vivid natural imagery with a subtle, often wistful, human reflection, offering moments of both bright observation and lingering melancholy. The language is lyrical yet accessible, allowing the cadence of each line to resonate clearly when heard aloud.

In the later poems, the tone shifts toward intimate storytelling, as seen in the plaintive voice of a blind beggar and the quiet resilience of a solitary nightingale. These works explore themes of longing, loss, and the quiet strength found in simple beauty. Listeners will feel the gentle pull of each stanza, as the verses unfold like soft murmurs in a still night, encouraging contemplation without ever demanding a resolution.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~36 minutes (34K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

United Kingdom: Constable and Company Ltd., 1918.

Credits

Al Haines

Release date

2022-07-04

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Walter De la Mare

Walter De la Mare

1873–1956

Best known for eerie, dreamlike writing that lingers in the mind, this English poet and storyteller moved easily between children’s literature, ghostly tales, and deeply musical verse. His work is especially remembered for “The Listeners” and for its strange, delicate sense of wonder.

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