Petal petulance

Pink and lilac tulips
             in a tall glass vase
an unerring beauty
             that will fade and droop
as the days pass
             as the hours expire

to think that in the heavens
             there are no wise stars
that in this universe
             so full of eyes
the world will relapse
             that love and tenderness
may be depleted
             by tides of naked sorrow
compassion for others
             withered in the cruel reign
of blind greed and contempt
             life cheapened and tainted
by the dark dissolving
             human heart

Roses red and white
             that draw blood on the thorn
fragrant flames of sunshine
             snipped from the bed of life

John Lyons

Lyric

These are the candles we light
day after day

and how brightly they shine
night after night

these are the moments
of illumination in our lives

and how they glow
day after day

night after night
this is the life we live

day after day
night after night

this is the love
that lights up our lives

day after day
night after night

John Lyons

Each new day

It’s a grey start to the day
             I just saw two crows disappear
behind the row of trees
             that can be seen from my window
and I wonder what they’re up to
             where they’re going with such
clear unwavering purpose
             —who knows

In the distance I hear a train
             and I know that I’ll soon
be out and travelling on one
             heading into town and
into the thick of the new day
             I look at the forecast
and it says that the sun
             will appear around ten
this morning and I’m pleased
              : it rained in the night
but the sun will fix everything
             it will cast the summer flowers
in a beautiful glowing light
             and bring a smile to the faces
out on the street
             Each new day is a challenge
but what can you do
             except make the most of it
for the time being
             it’s all you have

John Lyons

Efflux of the soul

The embarrassment
of riches

that we call life
the shapelessness

of energy all around us
that we must harness

and transform
into guided growth

and beauty
to draw out purpose

from within the chaos
the passionate celebration

of being and loving
the intimate coalescence

of adamant individualities
the spiritual clarity of art

that rejects all icons
and is the ultimate

act of survival
there is no life

without creation
how else can we

bear to exist
within time

and space
and outwit

the calendar
of doom

John Lyons

The be-all

It is the be in being
in becoming

in believing
in belonging

in befitting
in behaving

in beginning
the betrothal

with the be-all
and the end-all

John Lyons

Feelings

It goes
             without saying
that feelings
             are facts as real
as the thorn
             on the rose
or the rain
             on the window pane

our thoughts
             our emotions
our hopes
             and dreams
our longings
             and our lusts

these are facts
             of life
that drive us
             to heaven
or to hell
             and back

John Lyons