Wednesday, January 12, 2011

THE LISTENERS BY WALTER DE LA MARE

Components I by Terri Brooks. See blog here.


THE LISTENERS by Walter de la Mare

"Is there anybody there?" said the Traveller,
Knocking on the moonlit door;
And his horse in the silence champed the grass
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.
But no one descended to the Traveller;
No head from the leaf-fringed sill
Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,
Where he stood perplexed and still.
But only a host of phantom listeners
That dwelt in the lone house then
Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight
To that voice from the world of men:
Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,
That goes down to the empty hall,
Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken
By the lonely Traveller's call.
And he felt in his heart their strangeness,
Their stillness answering his cry,
While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf,
'Neath the starred and leafy sky;
For he suddenly smote on the door, even
Louder, and lifted his head:—
"Tell them I came, and no one answered,
That I kept my word," he said.
Never the least stir made the listeners,
Though every word he spake
Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house
From the one man left awake:
Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup,
And the sound of iron on stone,
And how the silence surged softly backward,
When the plunging hoofs were gone.


Solent Moonlight by Kurt Jackson. See more here.


Gina Louthian-Stanley. See blog here.


Moonlit Canyon by Gina Louthian-Stanley. See Blog here.


Full Moon and Vessel by Lorna Crane. See website here.

Red Moon by Lorna Crane. See website here.

Tangie Pape Belmore. See website here.


Imbi Davidson. See blog here.


Growing in the dark by Jeane Myers. See website here.


Cheryl Taves. See website here.

Environmental series No.7 by Carol Staub. See website here.

Portal by Carol Staub. Website here.

47 comments:

  1. One of my favourite poems, Robyn - an as usual, you have chosen such beautiful art work to accompany it.

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  2. Whenever I see a new post from you I get a little thrill of expectation and excitement because you always point me in a different direction, to new artists, new works, new inspiration, new ideas, new vistas. Your own work is superb; your "curating" of others' work is equally superb. Thank you. --Carol Leigh

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  3. so great to see gina's work here. i am a big, big fan of hers! love all the other art you posted. just terrific!

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  4. so I'm scrolling through these gorgeous paintings and saying to myself, ooooo, each one in my fav color palette and then my work pops up, so funny! remember the video I made working on this piece? so fun! xxo

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  5. très beau, me fait penser dans quelques tableaux à Tapiès..

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  6. Mystery and wonder here Robyn, wanting to fall inside these works and explore. xox Corrine

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  7. wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

    I wish I had a more eloquent and articulate comment to you leave you and the artists on this post, but I think that sums it up!

    Wonderful...

    hope you are well Robyn!

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  8. What a beautiful and moving poem...it gave me shivers as I was reading...and the images you chose are the perfect accompaniment...I am especially enthralled with the piece by Kurt Jackson with its shimmering essence...

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  9. Robyn, I love this moody poem, and the moody artwrorks you've chosen to go with it. The poem has got me wondering, though- about the REST of the story...

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  10. It is many years since I read this poem, I had quite forgotten about it. Thank you for posting it and the wonderfully apposite works that you have chosen to accompany it

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  11. This poem really set the mood for these moon paintings. My favorite is the Solent Moonlight by Kurt Jackson. After looking at it I realized I have a small painting of a sunrise/sunset painted similarly.

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  12. I guess my love of poetry came from hearing it read out loud and this is one I can remember hearing so long ago when I was really quite little, and one that we later had to learn by heart at school. It's lovely to read it again, but equally lovely to see all these dark pieces with a sense of what might still be visible at the edge of the darkness.

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  13. great to read that poem again .....we did it at school....x

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  14. That one sent shivers down my spine. I didnt now that one, must look it up. My education in poetry is lacking in some areas. I suppose I have these days concentrated on
    Australian poetry and my school days are way behind me.
    Love the moody colours of the mags you chose to go with it.

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  15. Love the color palette and the texture in these pieces.

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  16. oh yummy just a delicious post Robyn! love coming to your place! xo

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  17. Thanks for posting my work Robyn. It is a lovely post and that poem gave me goose bumps. I love your blog...contributing to making contemporary art truly global.

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  18. Hi Robyn,
    Wow! How inspiring!!! Lots of wonderful art. Thanks for the post!
    Carol Staub

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  19. this was lovely. how do you find these incredible, inspiring, amazing works. thank you.

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  20. Greetings dear Robyn,

    Your selection is so sumptuous and in most I see a reflection of Turner in them.

    It is pure joy to be visiting your blog.

    Warmest regards and all the best for 2011,
    Egmont

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  21. Moonlight. I can still see a painting at the Tate in London. A Welsh cottage with a slate roof and fields behind down to the sea. Every detail vivid and in muted colour, on a brilliant moonlit night. I asked in the shop, nah, no postcards of his work.

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  22. Mmm ...a wonderful series of paintings Robyn... the mood is so appealing to view in this collection. Love seeing the various artist's sensibility on canvas ... each so different even though there is a certain kinship!
    Wonderful meeting you in tumblr-world!
    S

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  23. Yours is the second post I've read this morning that invokes the power of the moon over the night. You've beautifully blended art and poetry in this post.

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  24. as always Robyn, thanks for introducing us to some marvelous works of art...very contemplative selection I think.

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  25. Weaver, it has become one of my favourites, though at school I hated it.

    Carol, thank you! Being a part of this blog world has opened so many doors of discovery. Not a day goes by that I'm not inspired by something a blogger has shared.

    Tricia, Gina's work is new to me. It's great isn't it!? Glad you enjoyed the post.

    Jeane, ha-ha, you beat me to it!

    Elfi, thank you :-)

    Corrine, explore away!

    Bridgette, they are indeed wonderful artists.

    Leslie, I enjoyed the search.

    Cynthia, it is moving isn't it?! To think there was a time when I hated it. We had to learn it by heart at school which generally sucked the joy out of poetry for me.

    Sharmon, it would be nice to hear the rest of the story!

    Ian, it takes one back doesn't it? I suppose you also read it at school.

    Lisa at Greenbow, moody, mysterious words for moody, mysterious images.

    Annie, I think we in South Africa had the same school syllabus as you did.

    artymess, yes! It's strange how we grow to love the poems we were forced to learn at school.

    Penny, can you imagine him standing there in the moonlight? Very eerie.

    Seth, the darker palette seems to be drawing me in these days.

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  26. looks like a "Braw,bricht,moolit nicht" ! dont know where that came from or if its correct but to me it says a cold bright moonlit nite! wonderful pictures. and the poem is an old fav! do you know "The Highwayman" also ,I think, by de la Mare

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  27. Thanks Cat.

    TAB, thank YOU. Your work is exciting!It just seemed to hold the drama of the poem.

    Carol Staub, so glad you enjoyed the post! Your Portal piece is very powerful.

    Lucky Dip Lisa :-)

    Rebeca, I'm just feeding my google addiction :-)

    Egmont, thanks so much.

    Elephant's Eye, I can see the painting in my mind's eye as you describe it.

    Sophie, what did we do before Tumblr? A lot more work, that's for sure.

    Stevie, the poem just seemed right for all the dark images.

    Michael, will pop over to visit.

    LauraX, contemplative and mysterious...

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  28. Magnificent group of images. It would be good to see them up close, such an emotive group.

    Never heard that poem nor that poet. I like the sense of it.

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  29. Such a wonderful selection of art works to go with this dark, moody and mysterious poem.

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  30. R- you have done it yet again - brought another inspirational collection to the attention of those of us who tend to look down more often and could look up and out. And as so many others have said not only a great thread of colour and form in the collection but also such a strong reflection of the mood of the poem. Thanks. B

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  31. Such a familiar and haunting poem, and beautiful artwork to go with it. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend... roxanne

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  32. Such a familiar and haunting poem, and beautiful artwork to go with it. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend... roxanne

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  33. Lovely - atmospheric to the nth degree!!!

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  34. Wonderful selection to drool over, LOL! Love Carol Staub!

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  35. Dear Robyn...I love how the poems you pick complement the paintings so well. This poem is soooo mysterious, powerful and...leaves so much to the imagination.....My fave painting here is Solent Moonlight and Portal...so rich and filled with wonder...I can just lose myself in these images. How do you find such amazing art?
    How are you doing dear Robyn...I imagine you sitting out in the African sun...carving...drinking a cup of tea...happy. That is the way I pretty much always hold you in my heart. xxx

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  36. so perfectly you set the tone for these gorgeous pieces. As if they all were answering, silently, secretly, yet boldly Yes, these artists most certainly are there!
    Wonderful post Robyn.
    xox K

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  37. Robyn,
    Thank you for posting my ink drawings. They go so very well with the 'Listeners' and other artists work. I appreciate your kind words about my art.
    XXXX
    Blessings,
    gina

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  38. " the forest's ferny floor" hooked to my mind...what a beautiful aliteration.
    Walk there under full moon....

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  39. Lyle, that would be Robbie Burns. My husband quotes him all the time. I know the Highwayman (learned it at school :-) and also love Loreena McKennit's song which is based on the poem. If you havn't heard it, google it and listen.

    Mansuetude, it's quite haunting isn't it?!

    Donna, my next post had better be lighter :-)

    Indi@na, thank you.

    Barry, glad you enjoyed it.

    Roxanne, a hot weekend!! Hope yours was cooler.

    Caroline, I can feel it. The poem has quite an effect on one.

    Kim Palmer, drool away :-)

    Thanks David.

    Soraya, thanks so much. It is sizzling over here in sunny SA. Too hot for carving outside but I have got a fair amount of carving done .... in my kitchen .... with the monkeys waltzing in and out too I might add.

    Karin, I've been thinking of you today... and then up pops your comment.

    Gina, I'm so pleased you like the poem with your paintings. I feel the art when I choose them for a post. Thank YOU!

    Uschi, the aliteration formed part of an English Lit. paper way back in my school days :-)

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  40. AS I catch up - your posts are all inspiration- from folding to assemblages to rust. Always fun to read with great links!!!

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  41. What a great selection of artists! Thanks for sharing the pics and the links!

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  42. Wonderfully inspiring. Thank you for sharing work from artists I had never seen.

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  43. oh, LOVE the Belmore! love the Crane!

    great shares, here.

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