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