The eye of the beholden

There in the neighbour’s garden
           in Doughty Street just a few doors
down from Dickens
           the tall laburnam in full bloom
golden chain or golden rain
           they call it for the bright yellow
trifoliate flowers densely packed
           on the long racemes that dangle
in the warm summer air
           the petals curved upwards
and downwards to form
           a gasp of an open mouth
so as to entice the pollinator
           with a deep sigh to enter
and sex it up : beauty
           is in the eye of the beholden

John Lyons