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The Hangman's tale
The Hangman’s tail
Suspending my disbelief,
The first, the very first
Left his mortal coils behind
And left in fabulous distraction,
Where no man has been saved,
Then Howard, who loved horses
Decided that Darlinghurst was not too far away-
And a darling handsome of the crowd,
Took up the mantle of knotting the final circuit-
Lost of nose, that did not spite his face,
Yet the habit of his time's habit ended him.
Forms of all forms, bound or unbound
Followed their shadow to that place,
Draped black,
Before dispatch,
Second job Bob, hoped it worked out
When the drop came, errors made good,
That awful scaffold, hoping for fractures clean,
Unfeelingly horror, sometimes an hour
Of struggling death, in sook up rope failure
A thing I’ve never seen, in this land,
For a while, the thought upends
A hope that this long rope of capital, everywhere ends.
Style / type:
Free verse
Review Request (Intensity):
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Last few words:
It's been a while.
I realize that it's not exactly a positive subject matter, but I was inspired by a recent ABC broadcast regarding the end of capital punishment in Australia, come on America, you can do it too! I don't expect many comments, and I am sorry for my absence. I have been in the UK caring for aged parents, then back in Australia, caring for aged teenagers. Youth is truly wasted on the young, to paraphrase Shaw (I could be wrong).
Hello Neopoet :)
Editing stage:
Content level:
Not Explicit Content
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Author information
Region & Country
Tasmania,Australia,Earth,Solar Systems,Milky way,Pint of Guniess
Favorite Poets
Glen Richards, Thomas Hardy, Phillip Larkin, Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, Carol Ann Duffy, Ani DiFranco, Seamus Heaney, Emily Dickinson, T. S. Elliot
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Comments
Candlewitch
Wed, 2022-05-04 12:46
hello,
I don't believe we have met before this. so, it is nice to make your acquaintance! I find that you have a unique sense of humor. your intelligence shines through this piece! we could use someone like you critiquing other poet's work/posts! my favorite lines are:
And a darling handsome of the crowd,
Took up the mantle of knotting the final circuit-
Lost of nose, that did not spite his face,
Yet the habit of his time's habit ended him.
*hugs, Cat
*
When someone reads your work
And responds, please be courteous
And reply in kind, thanks.
vandiemenspeak
Fri, 2022-05-06 20:16
Hello Cat!
Pleased to make your acquaintance too. I was a long-time contributor to Neopoet and also contributed to workshops, etc. Life, work, kids, and relationships got in the way, and I too lost my way a little. But now I'm back, hoping to start off with a few experiments and contribute once again.
Thanks for your kind words, they give me much encouragement.
Best wishes,
Chris.
Chris Hall - Tasmania
Grossbooted draymen rolled barrels dullthudding out of Prince's stores and bumped them up on the brewery float. On the brewery float bumped dullthudding barrels rolled by grossbooted draymen out of Prince's stores.
author commentCandlewitch
Sat, 2022-05-07 07:40
dear Chris,
it will be grand to have you here, so welcome back! I was here a few years back, but I had surgery on both knees, and that took me away (with this and that, lol) I remember Stephen's exquisite poetry and long conversations with Jess. I sent him one of my first books. and we discussed it. I miss them both...they will always reside in my heart.
*hugs, Cat
*
*
When someone reads your work
And responds, please be courteous
And reply in kind, thanks.
Obadiah Grey
Thu, 2022-05-05 13:07
The self proclaimed righteous
The self proclaimed righteous would posit that we build our own scaffold
and then, cheer the long drop.
and, with that insular thought, devoid themselves of all humanity.
Intriguing piece, well written.
Obi.
vandiemenspeak
Fri, 2022-05-06 20:31
Thanks Obi
Yes, they would have us construct the machinery of our own demise, wouldn't they? Thanks for having a look. I'm just getting back into poetry after a long break. Mainly inspired by long commutes with podcasts by Frank DeLaney and his exegesis of Joyce's Ulysses - wow, he is a fascinating bloke, look him up!
https://blog.frankdelaney.com/re-joyce/
Cheers,
Chris.
Chris Hall - Tasmania
Grossbooted draymen rolled barrels dullthudding out of Prince's stores and bumped them up on the brewery float. On the brewery float bumped dullthudding barrels rolled by grossbooted draymen out of Prince's stores.
author commentEumolpus
Thu, 2022-05-26 20:51
Hi Chris, it's Eumolpus
..
Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings
Eumolpus
Thu, 2022-05-26 20:49
Hi Chris, it's Eumolpus
Been a few years. During Covid I got involved with live online zoom poetry events, and i am doing a lot of events and workshops. Glad you are well. I remember your good poems, strong sound, bold imagery, imagination...very Heaney. we shared some good stuff...
I noticed you explained the poem in a private message to another poet.. Had I not seen that, I would have no idea what the poem was about. My suggestion is to include that explanation as an epigraph to engage the reader in the poem, and give them a chance to enjoy it. To me your best poems found that compromise between accessibility and telling too much, and let the words and images expand. Lets chat! reach me on private message.
Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings
vandiemenspeak
Wed, 2022-08-03 04:41
Wow, sorry about that delay mate!
Hi Mark,
I didn't realize that I had done that as a private comment! I have finally landed a gig, where I have a life, and a life/work (the correct order) balance. I just started working for the Tasmanian Government over here, and I have been neck deep in acronyms, having come from the private sector.
Not quite the West Wing, but very challenging. When things are settled (we just had a Ministerial shuffle ;) - think "Yes Minister") very much like the Westminster system, MPs down here are still* Ministers of the Crown! I will start to make time, and get back into it.
Regarding the poem, it was written while listening to an ABC podcast on capital punishment, John Howard, and a plethora of Australian characters, and its meaning can probably be devined by searching the various names and references! I'll get back to it, and, be in touch, hopefully not too long.
Take care,
Chris.
Chris Hall - Tasmania
Grossbooted draymen rolled barrels dullthudding out of Prince's stores and bumped them up on the brewery float. On the brewery float bumped dullthudding barrels rolled by grossbooted draymen out of Prince's stores.
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