The World As I See It: Philippine Sunset and Sunrise Photo Collection

only august: A poem by PD Lyons

Fourth and Sycamore

By PD Lyons

only august

crows
almost quiet
only feather sounds
rising
almost still
only slow
steady beating
as if horses
finally
taught themselves
to march in order
across the fields
almost green
only smoky
spiral dust
almost damp descending
mirage
as if insects
finally taught themselves
to sing
like falling rain
across midday
almost yawning
only august

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PD Lyons

Born and raised in the USA. Traveling and living abroad since 1998. Now residing in Ireland.

Received The Mattatuck College Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry.

Received Bachelor of Science with honours from Teikyo Post University Connecticut.

Two books of poetry Searches For Magic, and Caribu & Sister Stones: Selected Poems, have been published by Lapwing Press, Belfast. A third book, Myths Of Multiplicity, published by Erbacce press Liverpool as part of the 2014 Erbacce International Annual Prize.

The work of PD Lyons has also appeared in many magazines and…

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Last Night They Came And Took, by pd lyons

Pdlyons's Explorations

artist unknown

Last Night They Came And Took

canvasses  manuscripts

typewriter  paint box

dictionary, (oddly common words underlined or written in the margins.)

ash tray  like a bulldog head
mouth still filled 

Marlboro butts  empty Norman Rockwell match books.

denim jacket faded  

shoulder torn  by a lawn mower,

pockets lined 

loose tobacco lint

  Goldsmiths Art Shop receipts

  napkin from The Russian Lady 

name of Bitkis written on the back

  and a business card for chair canning.

four real silk Japanese prints.

two exactly the same posters of Deborah Harry.

 sleeping bag he used for a bed.
chair he carved Africans into.
lamp he won at the carnival last year for getting two black targets with one shot.

they took

  they took

  they took.

and for me the one who loved him?

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Universal Languages

Histories and Mysteries

Music needed                                                                                                                                                      no  translation  violin                                                                                                                             bittersweet, saxophone bold, drum heart piano steady…

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may all who journey….

Pdlyons's Explorations

The Buddha compared faith to a blind giant who meets up with a very sharp-eyed cripple, called wisdom. The blind giant, called faith, says to the sharp-eyed cripple, “I am very strong, but I can’t see; you are very weak, but you have sharp eyes. Come and ride on my shoulders. Together we will go far.” The Buddha never supported blind faith, but a balance between heart and mind, between wisdom and faith. The two together will go far. The saying that blind faith can move mountains unfortunately omits the fact that, being blind, faith doesn’t know which mountain needs moving. That’s where wisdom is essential, which means that a thorough understanding of the teaching is crucial.

— Ayya Khema, When the Iron Eagle Flies

the cat

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FallFromTheTree.com

WEBURNDAYLIGHT

First of all, I want to thank all of you that have visited this blog! It has been great knowing that people scattered around the globe have found it and enjoyed my posts. I now have a new blog: FallFromTheTree.com (new & personalized design, similar content) and you are more than welcome to visit that too.

FallFromTheTree.com is a place where you can waste some time in a way that’s worthwhile. Designed to be a source of distraction and inspiration, it wants to add some depth to those fleeting moments in life. Hand-picked content that is meant to inspire, amuse, connect, or maybe just put a little smile on your face. Hey, it may even create that tiny spark in your brain, like the apple that fell from the tree and inspired Isaac Newton to compose his theory of gravitation.

Take the LONG route, or the SHORT, depending on your…

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My poem “Chilling Effect” published in The Tongue Has Its Secrets

poetry from the frontera

from my collection The Tongue Has Its Secrets, my collection published by NeoPoiesis Press in 2016

Chilling effect1
I want to write about being at risk,
Silenced and scrutinized,
in nightmares jeweled words
wrangle sense and image.
Sun-shot thought champions dissent,
but anything I say can and will
be used against me.
Why am I alone in this protest?
Where is the vigor of astringency, the vinegar
homilies to warn of Cassandra’s oblivion?
Where are the bereaved, clad in weeds
of aubergine & black?
In the garden there is a skein of broken limbs,
bound for burial.
Avert your eyes and pray for solace,
the sweet bitterness of grapefruit marmalade
that wrenches a tongue from slumber.

1
A chilling effect is the stifling or suppression of political debate or other form of
expression or conduct by creating, through law or force, a fear of penalty or other potential
negative effect…

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women we should know/ beryl markham

Pdlyons's Explorations

salamander yellow pad

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

women we should know

http://womanpilot.com/?p=67

Originally published in Woman Pilot • January/February 2000

Against Prevailing Winds – The Remarkable Life of Beryl Markham

 

By Jackie Kruper

West with the Night, the autobiography that introduced me to the extraordinary woman, Beryl Markham, chronicles her Kenyan childhood and her historic, solo flight across the Atlantic from east to west. Her captivating memoir details exciting adventures and aviation exploits; it provides insights into her philosophies and general outlook on life. Beryl’s precise observational skills are concisely translated into ornate prose; yet there are no revelations of the “private” self. Was this intentional? Through additional reading and a journey to Kenya, I began my search to learn more about this enigmatic, complex, multi-faceted woman.
Beryl Clutterbuck was born in Leicestershire, England in 1902. By 1904, the British government was offering large tracts of land to lure…

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Off The Book Shelf – Stay Safe Brave Soul

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So here’s something I have been meaning to do for some time now. not a big deal except for me to follow through sometimes takes a while. Any way I come from a book-aholic family. My parents both avid readers. My Mom and dad also collected and sold out of print books back in the days before personal computers. He would be sent lists from books shops dealers and at times universities and libraries – searching for particular items. He wold send a post card quote and maybe make a sale. We spent many a weekends going to estate sales, tag sales, second-hand shops etc. Finding things for resale and curious pieces i would sometimes argue with him over – like Henry miller first editions or Gertrude Stein, etc.  (and whatever happened to that Jerusalem Bible illustrated by Dali?) Some of those books are still on my shelves some alas…

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Open Heart Surgery

Pdlyons's Explorations

Open Heart Surgery

Time has passed
And aren’t we old and settled in our ways?
Funny with all our differences
How similar we have become.

But still I don’t know what to do around you
Magnificent stranger, significant giant.
If you were my mother laying there we’d hold each other
Maybe cry together

And wouldn’t I love to?
But isn’t it scary?

So in true manly fashion
I lay the blame on you
Without saying a word
Better safe and sore –

Isn’t that the man thing?
Love the wound.
Fear the healing

photographer unknown

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