Heart and mind

The mind turns
            to the body
says to the heart
            move on
forgive and forget
            the pettiness
of perfidy
            is not worth a penny

The mind turns
            to the body
says remembrance
            is only of things past
love if it exists
            needs no remembering
and if it doesn’t
            ’s not worth the trouble

The mind has a soul
            of its own
it is the heart
            of our other half
the heart and the mind
            have separate eyes
but a bird cannot hear
            its own song

Love shapes sound
            it flowers in the air
we are all instruments
            are played and resonate
Death steals away
            the voice unless love
restores it
            Bury the past
with no tears
            close the circle
once and for all
            and good riddance

John Lyons

Dream fresh dreams

Dream fresh dreams
            of a love that will go
to infinite pains
            to requite
and be requited
            a love not
of the imagination
            a love free
of madness
            full of harmony
and delight
            a pure joy

All things
            may pass away
but not love
            not if it’s true
It is what fills
            time and space
with meaning
            hence
my significant
            other
Take nothing
            for granted
take no one
            ever

John Lyons

Taking stock

What is different
           what remains the same
the pattern of days
           of habits broken
when another enters
           your life
turns it all upside down
           not that you protest
you always felt
           that you could do
with a change
           novelty to replace
recurrence
           rewarding activity
instead of a dreary
           restlessness

That’s life
           a mixture of pleasures
and of pains
           and of the trouble taken
to love one another
           for better or for worse

History is over our heads
           decisions decisions
devoid of intimacy
           we are lucky
to have each other
           Long may it last
I think to myself
           in the silence
of my mind
           my heart at peace

John Lyons

A time of reckoning

A poet is never idle
           never tires of being
of shaping words
           in search of an order
of understanding
           the beauty of all mystery

To read the world
           is a welcome task
to add to the sum of song
           to notice and to commend
the shy snowdrops
           soon to appear
where the green grass
           is sheltered and where
squirrels and crows
           roam freely
and crocuses and fresh
           winter blossom

Now I say
           at valentine’s approach
the worst is behind us
           the days are longer
and spring will soon
           have its revenge
In the heavens
           the stars are aligned
not long now
           until love has its way

John Lyons

Lucky stars

Last night
           in the darkness
I counted my stars
           my lucky stars
and behold
           one was missing

Was it you
           or you
or you
           or you ?

John Lyons

Mallows

Beauty of the marshmallow
           the edible flower
a delicacy to the eye
           and to the palate
rich nourishment
           where it flourishes

So much to admire
           and to enjoy
the winter sky
           sown with fields
of wild stars
           visible
on dark nights
           rewarding us
with a sense
           of perspective

light comfort
           red mallows
in August
           in the poet’s garden
and the bloom of language
           of late love

John Lyons

Love’s lamp

Words of love
           love of words
one or the other
           or both
on a chill January night
           longing for warmth
warm words
           or a companionable body
to share a space until dawn
           Love that puts words
into our mouths
           or a satiated silence
emotions played out
           against a tender timeline
a mutuality of dreams
           held to
with steadfast conviction
           betrayal not on the cards
These dark nights
           when the frost bites
let love’s lamp
           shine bright

John Lyons