Love alone

Let the past
           be sealed
for all time :
           we who move
through the day
           into the night
know the odour
           of cedar wood
and the scent
           of fallen roses

Two blackbirds perched
           in a bare tree
that nobody saw
           their song unheard
but never in vain
           life is its own reward
and poetry the voice
           of our true nature
and as we celebrate
           we resist the overtures
of age and decay
           and all the deceits
of empty thrones
           and failed harvests
love alone the marvellous
           necessity

Time will crush us
           if we allow it space
in our lives
           we must push on
into tomorrow
           fresh blossoms
fresh leaves
           a cleaner air
in the air
           the sun will ripen us
bring a fresh colour
           to our cheeks
there will be
           soft succulent
summer fruits
           and love will flourish
wherever we open
           our hearts

John Lyons

And so I turn to you

In the hollow depths
of the night I turn to you

what will we make
of this darkness

and as the day dawns
I turn again to you

how will we celebrate
the gift of this light

love latent in the soul
the deep breath of life

John Lyons

Epigram

Here in these words
           a piece of my mind
a fragment of thought
           rhythmically infused
literally handmade
           for your attention

John Lyons

That simple

Wake to thick white frost
           on the roofs / it may snow
designer flakes may fall :
           last night Venus and Mars
perfectly aligned
           with the crescent moon
a forest of stars visible
           to the naked eye
billions upon billions
           of sources of light and energy
to warm the deep
           cosmic darkness

you and I in the midst
           of this drama
that has been unfolding
           since the beginning
of beginnings / everything
           on such a scale
that a sense of proportion
           is lost or meaningless
except that we are conscious
           of the snow
and the roses
           that will bloom in May
conscious too
           that a kiss may change
the course of history
           now and forever

John Lyons

New year

Winter seed
           that grows in silence
blooms in spring
           is radiant throughout
the summer months :
           nothing is wasted
the germ of beauty
           and life-sweetness
carefully stored
           coded into
our daily lives
            The good fortune
that we make
           lies within us
is awakened
           and activated
in the structures
           of our truth

if careless words
           cost lives
we need to be judicious 
            yet generous
in our affections
           be faithful
to the inbred impulse
           sorrow lies
in over-attachment
           to the past
but we are always
           better than that
our lives built
           from all that is
yet to come
           and to overcome

tear down the tinsel
           and take a new tune
into your head
           fresh roses
there in the wings
           ready to make
their appearance
           when the time is right

John Lyons