Pure beauty
unfiltered
by words
by thought
by art
beauty as
sole purpose
as open orchid
flower
or lily bent
on enticement
or murmur
of the night sea
on the shore
pins of light
on the horizon
from gently
bobbing boats
trawling the ocean’s
the endless time
and space
John Lyons
What have I
in my breath
captured ?
The stillness
of the moment
the soundlessness
of a mind subdued
of words lying
at rest at ease
almost
In my breath
a single syllable
: rose
neither water
nor petal nor thorn
nor stem
No flowering
of the flower
simply
a rose
with its gaunt
silhouette bound
by the atomic energy
subdued within
The word will outlive the petals
that soon enough will
curl crisp and burn
in the oxidizing air
dust is its destiny
the fate we all share
but for the moment
its perfect form captivates
its opiate beauty enthralls
its fragrance entrances
and it is all
it needs to be
John Lyons
Stillness
of the mind
subdued
the cult
of energy
a rose
contemplated
in all its glory
given the attention
it deserves
the gift of time
its beauty admired
leisurely
each gentle fold
of each petal
lovingly explored
the fragrant
silence
John Lyons
Woven words
particles of sense
two hawks in flight
hovering over
the marshland
cold clear blue sky
the acuteness
of their vision
mapping the ground
beneath them
the hunting instinct
destined to make
their own way in life
ageless timeless creatures
of great beauty
killers nevertheless
John Lyons
My father’s uncle Matt
a quiet gentle man
who enjoyed a pint
and would dress
for the occasion
in his Sunday best
I remember
his black leather boots
placed neatly
at the side of the bed
and how quietly
he slept
He was from Arklow
and was often a lodger
but I never knew
what he did nor did I ask
and so light on his feet
he’d come and go like a ghost
and his brogue so soft
you’d hardly hear
a single word :
that’s all I can say
John Lyons
Tiny brushstrokes
tiny blobs of paint
not a person
not a horse
nor a dog
but the idea
of that thing
suggested in oils
no single detail making any sense
on its own
but taken as a whole
instantly recognisible
genius on the end
of a sable brush
coloured pigments
mixed with linseed oil
applied on canvas
breathing eternal life
into the inhabitants
of Upper Norwood
John Lyons
In the uncertain light
some certainties
the passage of time
the coming and going
of the seasons
youth followed hopefully
by the wisdom of age
and a little less ignorance
hell receding as the heavens
come a little closer
less fear of fear
and life refreshed
in the commerce
of words and the truth
of poetry and belief
in the purity of love
John Lyons
When I entered
your orderly life
I created disorder
Were I to leave it
the order would
probably return
Is that what
you would
want ?
John Lyons
Those personal truths
the ones we hold
dear to our heart
and the knowledge
that grows
through our intimacy
traits I’ve noticed
in you and you in me
your sweet tooth
and your love of dance
my stubborn mind
and your endlessly
forgiving nature
I feel truly blessed
John Lyons
I listen to the voices
out on the street
so animated
and full of life
and it strikes me
that we’re all survivors
driven by so much
purpose so much
energy so much
love
we get up every day
and do our stuff
and fight the good fight
and take the rough
with the smooth
and I’ll paint
a couple peaches
on a white background
and hand them to you
and hope that you like them
and recognize that though
they’re not really peaches
or at least they’re
the best I could do
that they were painted
with love for you
John Lyons
johnjosephlyons 