The Listeners - Walter de la Mare

 

The Listeners by Walter de la Mare

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Introduction 

Walter de la Mare’s poem “The Listeners” is a famous and mysterious piece of poetry written in 1912. It tells the story of a lone traveller who arrives at a strange, silent house deep in the forest. He knocks and calls out, expecting someone to answer—but no one does. However, the poem reveals that there are “phantom listeners” inside the house—ghostly figures who hear him but say nothing.

The poem explores deep themes of loneliness, the supernatural, promises, and mystery. With simple but powerful language, de la Mare creates a feeling of quiet tension and emotional depth.
The Traveller Comes to the Door
The poem begins with a traveller riding through the forest at night. He comes to a quiet, empty house and knocks on the door.
“‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller,
Knocking on the moonlit door;”
Explanation:
The scene is set in a calm, moonlit forest. The traveller’s voice breaks the silence. His question is simple, but it immediately creates suspense. We want to know why he’s there and who he’s looking for.
This line also sets the tone of the poem: it’s peaceful, but mysterious and a little eerie.
No One Answers
Even though the traveller knocks and waits, no one comes to the door. However, the house doesn’t feel completely empty.
“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.”
Explanation:
The traveller feels confused and disappointed. He expected someone to meet him. But there is no movement, no light—just silence. Still, the poem suggests he feels something watching him. The house seems alive with a strange presence, even though nothing is seen. This creates a feeling of ghostly suspense.
The Phantom Listeners
Then the poem reveals that ghostly figures—called “phantom listeners”—are inside the house, silently listening to the traveller.
“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:”
Explanation:
These “phantom listeners” are not visible, but they are there. They don’t speak or move. They only listen. The poet describes them as being in the house before the traveller even arrived—like they’ve been waiting.
This part makes the poem supernatural and spooky. The idea of unseen ghosts silently listening is both beautiful and chilling.
The Traveller’s Message
Still getting no response, the traveller leaves a message for whoever might be inside. He says he kept his promise and wants that message to be passed on.
“‘Tell them I came, and no one answered,
That I kept my word,’ he said.”
Explanation:
These lines show the traveller's loyalty and sense of duty. He came because he promised to. We don’t know what the promise was, or who it was to—but we feel his emotion. He sounds sad and let down, but also proud that he did what he said he would do.
The mystery deepens here, evoking the questions, What was the promise? Why is the house silent? Who was he speaking to?
The Traveller Leaves
After leaving his message, the traveller turns away and rides back into the forest. The silence returns completely.
“And how the silence surged softly backward,
When the plunging hoofs were gone.”
Explanation:
This is one of the most beautiful lines in the poem. After the sound of his horse fades away, the silence comes back like a wave. Everything returns to stillness. The ghostly listeners remain in the house, silent once again.
This ending feels sad and mysterious. The traveller is gone, and his visit changes nothing—but we, the readers, are left with deep feelings and unanswered questions.

Themes in “The Listeners”
1. Mystery and the Unknown
The poem never explains everything, and that’s what makes it special. We don’t know who the traveller is, who the listeners are, or why the house is silent. This keeps us thinking and imagining.
2. Loneliness and Silence
The poem is filled with silence, broken only by the traveller’s voice. The feeling of being alone is strong. The traveller seems like someone who wants connection—but only finds quiet and shadows.
3. Duty and Promises
When the traveller says, “I kept my word,” it shows his honesty and dedication. Even though no one was there, he did what he said he would do. This shows a theme of personal responsibility, even in strange or emotional situations.
4. Life and Death
The traveller is from the “world of men,” but the listeners seem to be from another world—possibly the world of the dead. This creates a quiet reflection on the separation between life and the afterlife. It suggests we can try to reach those we’ve lost—but they may not respond.

Poetic Devices
Walter de la Mare uses many poetic tools to make the poem powerful:
Imagery: "moonlit door," "phantom listeners," and "plunging hoofs" help readers visualize the scene.
Repetition: “Is there anybody there?” repeats to show the traveller’s hope and sadness.
Alliteration and rhythm: These make the poem musical and memorable, like a quiet song or spell.
Mood and tone: The poem feels quiet, mysterious, and a little sad—like a dream or ghost story.

Conclusion
“The Listeners” is a magical and haunting poem that leaves a deep emotional impression. It shows us a man who is loyal and true, even when faced with silence and mystery. Through the dark forest, the quiet house, and the silent ghosts, Walter de la Mare explores themes of isolation, mystery, and duty.
The poem ends with no clear answers—but that’s what makes it so powerful and unforgettable. Sometimes, not knowing everything is part of the beauty.
“And he felt in his heart their strangeness,
Their stillness answering his cry…”

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 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.

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.