Close your eyes and picture a world painted in silver. That is what reading a Walter de la Mare poem feels like. Born on April 25, 1873, in England, de la Mare became one of the most imaginative poets of his time. His poem Silver describes how moonlight transforms an ordinary scene into something magical. The moon walks the night in her silver shoon. Trees, fish, and even a sleeping dog are all touched by silver light. De la Mare also wrote The Listeners, one of the most mysterious poems in English. A traveler knocks on a moonlit door, calling out to phantom listeners inside. No one answers. The silence is eerie and unforgettable. What made de la Mare special was his ability to create a dreamlike feeling with simple words. He did not use fancy language. Instead, he chose words that created sounds and pictures in the reader's mind. He believed that children see the world more clearly than adults because they have not stopped wondering. His poems remind readers of all ages to look at ordinary things with fresh eyes.