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The Daily Poem

G. K. Chesterton’s “The Secret People”

The Daily Poem

Goldberry Studios

Education For Kids, Arts, Kids & Family

4.6729 Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2025

⏱️ 5 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s poem is Chesterton’s ode to the silent majority. Happy reading.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome back to The Daily Poem, a podcast from Goldberry Studios.

0:08.1

I'm Sean Johnson, and today is Friday, June 27, 2025.

0:13.5

Today's poem is by G.K. Chesterton, and it's called The Secret People.

0:18.4

If you're listening to this episode on the day it releases, then that means

0:22.8

I am still in the UK, along with the other hosts of the Close Reeds podcast. And with any

0:29.1

luck, I am currently on board a train traveling south from Scotland toward London. I chose this poem then

0:35.7

because it would be in keeping with the theme of the general moment.

0:40.2

It is Chesterton's, hymn to the yeoman, his celebration of the English every man.

0:47.1

It's fairly long. I'll read it just once, and I'm fairly certain it can speak for itself.

0:51.9

So here is The Secret People. Smile at us. Pay us, pass us,

0:59.7

but do not quite forget, for we are the people of England that never have spoken yet.

1:05.9

There is many a fat farmer, the drinks less cheerfully, there's many a free French peasant who

1:10.7

is richer and sadder than

1:11.8

we. There are no folk in the whole world so helpless or so wise. There is hunger in our bellies,

1:18.6

there is laughter in our eyes. You laugh at us and love us. Both mugs and eyes are wet.

1:24.7

Only you do not know us, for we have not spoken yet. The fine French kings

1:29.5

came over in a flutter of flags and dames. We liked their smiles and battles, but we never

1:34.4

could say their names. The blood ran red to Bosworth, and the high French lords went down.

1:40.5

There was not but a naked people under a naked crown.

1:47.7

In the eyes of the king's servants turned terribly every way,

1:50.8

and the gold of the king's servants rose higher every day.

1:54.6

They burnt the homes of the shaven men that had been quaint and kind,

...

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