Robert Duncan

A Monday revisitation

irlandesuk poetry ,

A Monday revisitation

To see as love sees
           wholly and completely
to be as love is
           disavowing all
enmity or division
           that would detract
from our humanity
           truth and beauty
fired in the soul
           all from a single flame
the smile the kiss
           the caress the same
all fed on the fruits
           of photosynthesis

That no love
           is ever lost
is a cosmic law
           of which the literal
sunlight in her eyes
           is living proof

To the meadow
           where often I am permitted
to return and find it
           transformed into
a lush carpet of dandelion
           and delicate daisy
overlaying the deep green
           such vibrant colour owing all
to the ardent light
           that lights our lives

John Lyons

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Into the open field

irlandesuk poetry ,

Into the open field

This describes her love
           a place of first permission
no ephemeral dream
           but a property of her mind
and of her body
           a construct of flesh and blood
as a flower is formed
           in the open field
a gesture of invitation
           a hand extended
with words enfolded
           on her lips

The properties of love
           are truth and beauty
pure as the greening sun
           that ripens all life
creating place out of chaos
           and such architectures
that cast no shadow
           she the host to my visitations
I bring roses and orchids
           and daffodils to brighten
the table at which we dine
           and share the secrets
of coherent
           multiplication

This is no game
           no history
but a ring around
           celebrated jointly
with full-throated vows
           no nightingale so melodious
here hours are the dust
           that love drives away
here the flame may flicker
           but never die
here where our minds
           are made up

John Lyons

In the meadow

irlandesuk poetry ,

In the meadow

We who have learnt
           of the urgencies of love
who have lain
           in the meadow
among dandelions
           in a place made serene
by her gentle presence
           the flame of wild flowers
fluttering in the summer
           breeze and all thoughts
all feelings and all sensations
           folded into one mind
all shadows chased away
           into the darkness
of hours yet to come
           she a creation of the light
reflected in the light
           of my love as I in hers

Yes to reciprocity
           to harmonies of colour
and the cadences
           of liable lips
Yes to passions
           that know no bounds
unleashed in some distant
           primal storm of energy
all sight all sound all silence
           always and again

John Lyons

Aeolus – a first draft

irlandesuk poetry , , , ,

Aeolus – a first draft

The winedark sea that Homer saw
         only in his imagination
the sea that Ulysses sailed
         en route to Troy
a man both mortal and immortal
         one inseparable from the other
a man and his destiny
         laurel leaves and the bitter taste
of unripe olives
         such a tale from the cocoon
of his blindness

Art is from the eyes
         it is perception and intuition
a hunger for human narrative
         for what will make sense
of a universe in which meaning
         is neither here nor there

Fate spins
         and everywhere is felt
the footfall of the gods
         Aeolus a draft
driven by a line from Pindar
         What is a man
but a dream of a shadow
         his splendour
but a gift of the heavens
         Say nothing of love

John Lyons