The Evening Routine That Changed Everything
How I stopped being afraid of poems
The last dog walk of the day is always the hardest. It’s 7pm, I’ve walked Moose for a total of an hour and a half already, and I’m Tired. But nature calls for the little guy, and alas, I have not sprouted a yard and a doggie door out the back of my apartment, much to my ongoing disappointment.
So, we suit up. Good shoes, Moosie harness, and off we go.
But a friend gave me something that makes that last walk more pleasant. It’s called Poetry Unbound, and it feels like a little gift I give myself at the end of the day.
It’s a podcast featuring poet and teacher Pádraig Ó Tuama, and it has opened up a whole new subdivision of the world of words to me.
For a long time, I thought I was too stupid to understand poetry. It seemed completely impenetrable, and I couldn’t make sense of it. It doesn’t help that I didn’t receive any real education about how to read poetry in my high school English class (although I did learn how to write one hell of a 5-paragraph persuasive essay — thanks, Mr. Kimmich!)
Every now and then, I would stumble across a poem I liked (this is a good example) but I had no confidence in my taste and I always figured, “Hell, if you understand it, that means it’s not any good, because clearly poetry is NOT YOUR THING.”
So, I carried on through the world, immersed in words for work every day, and constructing phrases into sentences into work people pay me for, but I remained locked out of the world of poets.
Until a friend recommended Poetry Unbound. And now I love poetry.
Each episode is short (less than 15 minutes). Pádraig starts off by telling a lovely reflective story related to the topic of the poem he’s going to feature…a little appetizer before the main course.
And friends, let me tell you: YOU WILL LOVE THIS MAN’S VOICE.
And he’s got an IRISH ACCENT. I mean, SERIOUSLY. I cannot stress enough how much you will enjoy just letting his voice wash over you and soothe your nerves.
After the appetizer, he reads a short poem. Then (and this is key) he actually explains it. Fills in the gaps you don’t understand, talks about the structure of the poem and how it fits the topic, and helps you understand the story the poet is telling.
For me, listening to this podcast is like I’ve received the secret knock for a clubhouse I’ve been locked out of for decades.
I have a manila folder full of poems I love. I even bought a book of poetry, for no reason other than just to savor it.
The only time I allow myself to listen to this podcast is at night, when I’m just so Tired and my joints hurt and when Moose sits by the door and looks at me expectantly, it makes me question my life choices.
But Poetry Unbound is a balm for the soul. And the joints. So Pádraig goes with me, and I get some gorgeous poems to grab along with the leash. Lightens the load and gets me ready for the next day. I think Moose and I both sleep better now.
Want a place to start with Poetry Unbound? Take 15 minutes and listen to this episode. I urge you to listen to it, don’t just read the transcript. Get it through your real ears.
