Episode 414: 🎙️The 11th Anniversary Special: The Poem That Started It All – "The Man on the Dump"

June 23, 2026 · 46 min · Season 1 · Episode 414

About this episode

In this special 11th anniversary episode, Robyn O'Neil reflects on the journey of the podcast and reads the poem that started it all, while also answering listener questions.

🎙️ The 11th Anniversary of ME READING STUFF 🎂 Dear listener, Well, we've officially been kicking it for ELEVEN YEARS. Through vasectomies, divorce, mystery illnesses, breakdowns, fevers, estrangement, Covid, moves, near-death experiences, remarriage, Las Vegas hotel rooms, heart surgeries, parenthood, hauntings, and meetings with the ©️Kleenex company. Think of how much water we've drunk since 2015. I wonder how many books we threw across the room? Who remembers when Channing Tatum wrote us erotic poetry? And what the hell was "Robyn's Gate"? To celebrate this anniversary, I’m reading you the very same poem I read in the very first episode — Wallace Stevens’ “The Man on the Dump.” I also respond to your questions in "Answer Corner." Whether you’ve been listening since 2015 or this is your first time — I’m really glad you’re here. And honestly? I'm really glad I'm still here, too. Let's keep doing this. I'll see you next time. You doing more than enough. (But maybe make a dentist appointment. And organize your nightstand. And drink more water.) With so much love and appreciation, Robyn LINKS: Buy The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens My WEBSITE My INSTAGRAM My SHOP My Substack

People in this episode

Host: Robyn O'Neil

Topics covered

anniversary
poetry
personal stories
listener engagement
Wallace Stevens

Keywords

anniversary
poem
Wallace Stevens
listener questions
Robyn O'Neil

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kleenex

Books & works: The Man on the Dump, The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens