Episode
1562: Listening to Vespertine for Twenty Hours Straight by Derrick Austin
- Published
- Jul 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 454
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Summary
Today’s poem is Listening to Vespertine for Twenty Hours Straight by Derrick Austin. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “If you’re lucky, you have friends who might sense the shift in your emotional weather: the clouds rolling in, the sky darkening. If you’re very lucky, those friends might know what to do without being asked or prompted. They might come over with takeout and offer a listening ear. They might pick you up and take you to the movies or to a concert, to get you out of your bubble. Or maybe they come over and just simply exist with you. Maybe sitting next to you, maybe watching TV, maybe not talking at all, all without expecting you to be cheerful or even sociable. Their presence is calming in itself. Their unconditional love and acceptance, even when you’re not sparkling.” This show is supported by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown with a donation today. Slowdownshow.org/donate