vandiemenspeak

Member since June 5, 2013

Member for 13 years

workshop leaders advocate member new member

169 Poems

538 Comments

9 Followers

Most recent

The tree compass

Posted May 27, 2025 · 11 lines · 5 critiques

Days grow long now,
Autumn too warm
Even at lunchtime.

Bare poplars, an earth dial
Throw time across the path

I steep the thoughts inside
To silence.

Deep and lost, a moment
Of shadow, coolness

Confessions to you the slowing
Day claimed.

vandiemenspeak’s timeline

April 2026
25 Sat

Received a critique
on The tree compass from @crypticbard
"are roadtrip in Tassie from Launceston to Sheffield, Dove lake, Bichino, Richmond, Port Arthur, and finally Hobart where we spent much time walking among the tall primeval trees. There is indeed that compassy feeling wh…"
25 Sat

Critiqued
"a small renaissance " by @crypticbard
"AI is a terrible addition to to any critique of this poem. It misses the obvious, and obfuscates the interesting. Jeez, I've been away too long, but read this and, wow. Poe pops up for a start, but you extend it, beyond…"
February 2026
13 Fri

New follower
@vandiemenspeak
May 2025
28 Wed

Received a critique
on The tree compass from @Geezer
"read this one, I had the feeling that I might compare it to an Australian Abo, term, "Go Walk-about" [maybe a mental version]. Tune in, drop out or some such as anyone might call it. Yoga, meditation, take a mental brea…"
27 Tue

Posted a poem
The tree compass
"Days grow long now,"
Open thread 11 lines
January 2025
02 Thu

Received a critique
on After the quartet from @Lavender
"I like the build up in this. A crescendo, not only in the actual music, which is well imagined here, but also in you. The feeling of joy and adoration is so nicely described. The title is perfect, leaving us to understa…"
02 Thu

Received a critique
on After the quartet from @Ruby Lord
"What a lovely detailed and imaginative way to describe a musical performance. I loved the way you used the rain and the audience to tie the experience together. It really made me sense the music you were listening to. R…"
02 Thu

Posted a poem
After the quartet
"After the quartet:"
Open thread 26 lines
02 Thu

Posted a poem
After the quartet
"After the quartet:"
Open thread 26 lines
02 Thu

Posted a poem
After the quartet
"After the quartet:"
Open thread 26 lines
June 2023
05 Mon

Anniversary
10 years of membership
February 2023
17 Fri

Critiqued
"Spellbound" by @RoseBlack
"Blimey. "As the sun stripped down her firey rays" Now that's a memorable line. I am a fan of WB Yeats more more esoteric works. I do love the tone of this, yet find myself profoundly lost. This ridiculous device, in the…"
06 Mon

Received a critique
on Night Tide (dream) from @RoseBlack
"I see a night sky, water rippling underneath. The moonlight is beating down as one floats along, pondering life's wonders. Well done!"
06 Mon

Received a critique
on Night Tide (dream) from @Seren
"The same poem can give the reader differing images. For me it was a lake. Rippling and moving moved with a gentle breeze, kissed in starlight. I think this is a gorgeous short poem. Cheers Seren"
06 Mon

Received a critique
on Night Tide (dream) from @Geezer
"I see a darkened pool of water in an isolation chamber, with ripples and crisscross lines, the movement of it born of inhalation and exhalation. I don't know why, I just do. A piece to make one think. If that is what it…"
06 Mon

Posted a poem
Night Tide (dream)
"I think upon the water"
Open thread 6 lines
August 2022
20 Sat

Received a critique
on The Salesman. from @Geezer
"Going to reply in the more modern terms of what this word means, and how I come to use the moniker. My name in French [Guy] is pronounced Gee. I worked with a couple of Frenchmen in my days as an auto-detailer. They ref…"
09 Tue

Posted a poem
The Salesman.
"One day at a house not far from here,"
Open thread 17 lines
05 Fri

Posted a poem
Night as a Currawong.
"A flash is all you’ll see, when"
Open thread 21 lines
May 2022
04 Wed

Posted a poem
The Hangman's tale
"The Hangman’s tail"
Open thread 24 lines
December 2020
29 Tue

Posted a poem
Song for the old man.
"Well, I'll eat at seven,"
Open thread 48 lines
May 2020
14 Thu

Posted a poem
The end of isolation.
"The end of isolation."
Open thread 23 lines
05 Tue

Posted a poem
Engine breaking
"Trucks are engine breaking"
Open thread 14 lines
December 2019
29 Sun

Critiqued
"A Sonnet Dedicated to British Supermarkets and Fast Food Caffs" by @Edna Sweetlove
"The things that comprised kebabs in a number of infamous kebab houses. None would question. Until the morning after, where the remnants of the kebab could be found, loosely wrapped in chip paper. In it's solidified, con…"
28 Sat

Critiqued
"A Sonnet Dedicated to British Supermarkets and Fast Food Caffs" by @Edna Sweetlove
"And a lot funnier! Love it. Don't forget the kebabs opposite the pub, that were found to made out of pigeons hmmmm. I think it was in Brighton. Made me think of every after pup/b (Freudian slip?) curry I ever endured in…"
23 Mon

Posted a poem
After the quartet (for Phillip Adams)
"After the quartet:"
Open thread 26 lines
19 Thu

Critiqued
"The Raven" by @medes879
"Nevermore. Nicely assembled with allusions to that which *may be out of our reach, in that it's personal. Poe, as you know, was a perfectionist in form. A contemporary of Dickens? I think so. Translated by Baudelaire, c…"
03 Tue

Critiqued
"Depression" by @Salmerhsambo
"This is relatable. I can understand the idea of raising hands in a half formed prayer, and the knowledge of invisible tears. A true epidemic of our time. One possible positive though... a lot of great poets were sufferi…"
June 2019
11 Tue

Critiqued
"You, Bird" by @Eumolpus
"When I see the title! Of course he had his own philosophy. But if we are to agree that philosophy proper, started with those that came before Socrates (my understanding goes back to Thales) - I wonder what philosophy we…"
May 2019
24 Fri

New follower
@Eulekia
14 Tue

Critiqued
"The Sigh" by @Esker
"I always found you to be one of the most generous and empathetic voices on this site. Certainly not "trash" - I always read, I didn't feel the need to comment. It's good that you remember Esker. I have missed him too xx…"
April 2019
03 Wed

New follower
@Eumolpus
October 2018
27 Sat

New follower
@zebra
June 2018
05 Tue

Anniversary
5 years of membership
June 2017
30 Fri

Posting milestone
100 poems posted
15 Thu

Highest posting month
June 2017 — 11 poems
March 2017
23 Thu

Most-discussed work
Here comes the night.

25 critiques to date.
June 2014
05 Thu

Anniversary
One year of membership
October 2013
19 Sat

First critique offered
on "WALLS" by @scribbler
July 2013
05 Fri

First publication
Rain reveals all
June 2013
05 Wed

Joined Neopoet
Membership begins

First poem published 30 days later.

About Me

About me

One of the most influential and innovative writers of the immutably small town of Newark on Trent, Chris Hall is the author of "A shorter history of longing" (2014) and "A rook wind" (2016), Published by Ginninderra Press in Australia (he didn't even pay them to do this). His forthcoming collection of poetry, " Clown in a dark wood" should be available in Picarro poets press some time later in 2017.

"Ideas, like longing, have a perishable quality, as does all writing" - Anonymous.

Location: Tasmania, AUS

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

Contest Wins

This member has not yet won any contests.

Workshops

		Skill level:
Poets first poems	(syllabus)	Splash Pool	Started 2017-06-23	Concluded
IMAGERY IN POETRY( ready to start?)	(syllabus)	Splash Pool	Started 2017-06-24	Concluded
Effective Contemporary Pastoral poetry [Let's start]	(syllabus)	Olympic Pool	Started 2015-02-08	Concluded

on The tree compass from @crypticbard

"a small renaissance " by @crypticbard

on The tree compass from @Geezer

on After the quartet from @Lavender

on After the quartet from @Ruby Lord

10 years of membership

"Spellbound" by @RoseBlack

on Night Tide (dream) from @RoseBlack

on Night Tide (dream) from @Seren

on Night Tide (dream) from @Geezer

on The Salesman. from @Geezer

"A Sonnet Dedicated to British Supermarkets and Fast Food Caffs" by @Edna Sweetlove

"A Sonnet Dedicated to British Supermarkets and Fast Food Caffs" by @Edna Sweetlove

"The Raven" by @medes879

"Depression" by @Salmerhsambo

"You, Bird" by @Eumolpus

"The Sigh" by @Esker

5 years of membership

100 poems posted

June 2017 — 11 poems

One year of membership

on "WALLS" by @scribbler

Membership begins

About Me

Recent Work

Contest Wins

Workshops

Followed By