Why would I not ?

Of course I take it personally
           whether you love me or not
whether you betray me or not
           whether you fail me
or fail to understand me or not
           I bear the soul of a private man
ploughing by day the furrows
           of city streets in which squirrels
run rampant and gold is amassed
           in steely towers of greed

So I live and die for words
           for unsolicited acts of tenderness
for the beauty of light on water
           for the delicacy of moonlight
that pierces the night sky
           Of course I take our lives seriously
your life and mine : and tell me
           why would I not ?

John Lyons

The primeval sea

The primeval sea
           awash with colour
the underbelly
           of creation
whence all life
           whence all love

See how the light
           shimmers
on the shifting surface
           restless ocean
restless life
           colours that coalesce
wave upon wave
           here where the sun
sets and rises
           and where the surf
pounds on the shore
           so mimicking
the passionate pant
           of our human breath

John Lyons

Reading the coffee grounds

A fine autumn day
           with a brisk breeze
and magpies
           ten of them
playing catch me if you can
           flying under and over
the garden table and chairs
           There are dandelions in the grass
and a few late blossoms
           in the bushes—
most of the berries
           have been eaten

and I’m sitting here 
          alternately
looking out of the window and staring
           into the empty depths
of my morning coffee mug
           Nothing there now
but the dried grounds
           and I try to read the pattern
traces of light appearing
           out of a dark cloud
She loves me
           she loves me not
she loves me
           I’ll know
soon enough
           that’s for sure

John Lyons

Revised text.

Found art, at the bottom of my cup!

Ten wise virgins

A room with a view
           a dark room into which
light streams
           through an open window
a table laid for dinner
           silver service and fine porcelain
a room in which much human dust
           has settled

Soon host and guests will enter
           words will be moved around
chairs scraped on the floor
           there will be laughter
and few moments of silence
           amid the clink of cutlery on plates

Sometimes there is
           a definite purpose
as though the universe
           is going places
sometimes we all need
           to take a break

John Lyons

A child into the world

A failed painting
           can often be resuscitated
and that’s where the art lies :
           one has to examine the dead canvas
and imagine how one can
           breathe some sort of life into it
That’s why so many artists
           are reluctant to let their work
leave the studio
           they need to be certain
that what they have created
           will have an existence all of its own
that it will stand the test of time
           and require no explanation
or props to keep it alive
           Just as one would not want to send
one’s children out into the world
           vulnerable or defenceless
it’s an act of love
           towards one’s creation

John Lyons