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Leonard Cohen: Poems and Songs
A magnificent selection of song lyrics and poems from across the storied career of one of the most daring and affecting poet-songwriters in the world.
In the more than half century since his first book of poems was published, Leonard Cohen has evolved into an international cult figure who transcends genres and generations. This anthology contains a cross section of his five decades of influential work, including such legendary songs as "Suzanne," "Sisters of Mercy," "Bird on the Wire," "Famous Blue Raincoat," and "I'm Your Man" and searingly memorable poems from his many acclaimed poetry collections, includingFlowers for Hitler, Beautiful Losers,andDeath of a Lady's Man.Encompassing the erotic and the melancholy, the mystical and the sardonic, this volume showcases a writer of dazzling intelligence and live-wire emotional immediacy.
In the more than half century since his first book of poems was published, Leonard Cohen has evolved into an international cult figure who transcends genres and generations. This anthology contains a cross section of his five decades of influential work, including such legendary songs as "Suzanne," "Sisters of Mercy," "Bird on the Wire," "Famous Blue Raincoat," and "I'm Your Man" and searingly memorable poems from his many acclaimed poetry collections, includingFlowers for Hitler, Beautiful Losers,andDeath of a Lady's Man.Encompassing the erotic and the melancholy, the mystical and the sardonic, this volume showcases a writer of dazzling intelligence and live-wire emotional immediacy.
243 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2011
About the author
Leonard Cohen
243books1,932followersLeonard Norman Cohen was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963.
Cohen's earliest songs (many of which appeared on the 1968 album Songs of Leonard Cohen) were rooted in European folk music melodies and instrumentation, sung in a high baritone. The 1970s were a musically restless period in which his influences broadened to encompass pop, cabaret, and world music. Since the 1980s he has typically sung in lower registers (bass baritone, sometimes bass), with accompaniment from electronic synthesizers and female backing singers.
His work often explores the themes of religion, isolation, sexuality, and complex interpersonal relationships.
Cohen's songs and poetry have influenced many other singer-songwriters, and more than a thousand renditions of his work have been recorded. He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008 for his status among the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".
Cohen's earliest songs (many of which appeared on the 1968 album Songs of Leonard Cohen) were rooted in European folk music melodies and instrumentation, sung in a high baritone. The 1970s were a musically restless period in which his influences broadened to encompass pop, cabaret, and world music. Since the 1980s he has typically sung in lower registers (bass baritone, sometimes bass), with accompaniment from electronic synthesizers and female backing singers.
His work often explores the themes of religion, isolation, sexuality, and complex interpersonal relationships.
Cohen's songs and poetry have influenced many other singer-songwriters, and more than a thousand renditions of his work have been recorded. He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008 for his status among the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
August 14, 2019
worst day ever. thanks for all the everything, l.c.
i am so glad that leonard cohen finally got the "everyman's library pocket poets treatment." unless i am screwing up the math, apart from him, the most modern poet to have a book in this series is sylvia plath. and - blarg, sylvia plath, right?
this is a really nice sampling of this poems/songs. it is not complete - many of my personal favorites have been overlooked, but i am not complaining. and obviously, all these poems have been published elsewhere, so if you are like me and already have about 20 leonard cohen collections, this isn't going to be anything new, but i like to have things. don't you?
some standouts:
and better than hardy's love poem between the titanic and the iceberg is cohen's imagining of the love between joan of arc and the fire:
and a song that has a personal meaning for me, as it always makes me think of this couple i knew, and every time i hear it, i mourn for the end of a relationship i wasn't even a participant in. because i am an empath:
this book doesn't have everything, to be sure (where, oh where is master song?? stories of the street??) but it has some of my favorite short pieces:
but - and here's the real reason i have to be writing this review. my intentions for this evening were to come home and finally start reading some lorca, because i am realizing more and more that to love leonard cohen is to love lorca. in fact, one of my favorite songs, lyrically, is just a variation of a lorca poem. this link lays them out next to each other, if you want to see them hanging out together:
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcoh...
but where is my copy? how did i misplace a thousand-page book? the only explanation is that someone broke in and stole both this and my copy ofknockemstiff,also missing in action. so for now i will stick with my cohen, and maybe the thief will return the book when they are finished with it.
but someday, i will read lorca, dammit.
come to my blog![ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>
i am so glad that leonard cohen finally got the "everyman's library pocket poets treatment." unless i am screwing up the math, apart from him, the most modern poet to have a book in this series is sylvia plath. and - blarg, sylvia plath, right?
this is a really nice sampling of this poems/songs. it is not complete - many of my personal favorites have been overlooked, but i am not complaining. and obviously, all these poems have been published elsewhere, so if you are like me and already have about 20 leonard cohen collections, this isn't going to be anything new, but i like to have things. don't you?
some standouts:
and better than hardy's love poem between the titanic and the iceberg is cohen's imagining of the love between joan of arc and the fire:
and a song that has a personal meaning for me, as it always makes me think of this couple i knew, and every time i hear it, i mourn for the end of a relationship i wasn't even a participant in. because i am an empath:
this book doesn't have everything, to be sure (where, oh where is master song?? stories of the street??) but it has some of my favorite short pieces:
but - and here's the real reason i have to be writing this review. my intentions for this evening were to come home and finally start reading some lorca, because i am realizing more and more that to love leonard cohen is to love lorca. in fact, one of my favorite songs, lyrically, is just a variation of a lorca poem. this link lays them out next to each other, if you want to see them hanging out together:
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcoh...
but where is my copy? how did i misplace a thousand-page book? the only explanation is that someone broke in and stole both this and my copy ofknockemstiff,also missing in action. so for now i will stick with my cohen, and maybe the thief will return the book when they are finished with it.
but someday, i will read lorca, dammit.
come to my blog![ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>[ "br" ]>
November 11, 2016
Ah, no, in an already hard week, now made harder with this loss. RIP, Leonard.
Maybe it's as Don McClean wrote about Vincent VanGogh: This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.
Here's Everybody Knows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lin-a...
Suzanne, my favorite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX0Cf...
Joan of Arc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtwUy...
Maybe it's as Don McClean wrote about Vincent VanGogh: This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.
Here's Everybody Knows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lin-a...
Suzanne, my favorite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX0Cf...
Joan of Arc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtwUy...
November 14, 2016
RIP Leonard Cohen....Although I admit to liking his music more than his poetry, I love that this little volume of Everyman's Library Pocket Poets was published in 2011. These little 8X6 books are great introductions to poetry and in this case lyrics, for those of us who don't read much of this genre. I spent the weekend re-reading my favorite lyrics and listening to my favorite Cohen tunes. Besides the originals there are many great covers of his songs. One of my first guitar lessons ( 1970's here) was learning Suzanne which was a big hit for Judy Collins at the time, also love Jennifer Warrens covers of First We Take Manhattan and Joan Of Arc, and Antony's If It Be Your Will ( from I Am A Bird Now.) Is there anyone who doesn't love Cohen's best known song, and possibly the best song ever written, Hallelujah!! Jeff Buckley's version is the classic, but if you get the chance check out Jeff Gutt's completely surprising ( and stunning) X factor audition version (not his music video) of the song on You Tube. I don't yet have Cohen's latest release You Want It Darker ( 2016) but I'm looking forward to checking it out soon. I must have listened to twenty covers of Hallelujah trying to figure out my favorite. If you have one, I'd love to hear who does it!!
March 4, 2020
A poetry collection that I gave more than two stars to? I know, I'm just as confused as you.
But yeah, I did enjoy this one, even though, as expected, I didn't like every single poem.
I also found out that listening to movie soundtracks while reading this, made the book even better. Seriously, try some Abel Korzeniowski or Ludovico Einaudi, or someone else, it works!
But yeah, I did enjoy this one, even though, as expected, I didn't like every single poem.
I also found out that listening to movie soundtracks while reading this, made the book even better. Seriously, try some Abel Korzeniowski or Ludovico Einaudi, or someone else, it works!
January 18, 2018
“I move toward a love
you have dreamed for me”
This was beautiful. Certainly not perfect, but beautiful. Cohen isn't necessarily the greatest lyrical writer, but he puts feeling into every word, and his poetry is a pleasure to read.
you have dreamed for me”
This was beautiful. Certainly not perfect, but beautiful. Cohen isn't necessarily the greatest lyrical writer, but he puts feeling into every word, and his poetry is a pleasure to read.
August 20, 2022
4,5 stars - English Ebook
Review follows later.
Review follows later.
September 2, 2022
If you're reading this book without singing the lyrics in your head, we cannot be friends.
One of my biggest regrets in life is not having seen Leonard Cohen live in concert. His music is the one I usually turn to when I need comforting. His voice cuddles me and he's a part of that very small group of songwriters who are also poets. Cohen's songs speak to me in ways not many other songs do. They have a depth rarely found nowadays, originality and multiple roads of interpretation. He had a unique talent of mixing sensuality with real-world, strong, sometimes downright disturbing imagery.
I can't say I loved each and every poem here. He was a man in search of divinity and I'm not anywhere near that world, so his more religious poems didn't speak to me in any way. Here and there there are some duller, maybe, unchallenging, vanilla verses that were merely ok.
But there's a lot of profundity in his poetry and constructions that I love to read, reread, explore and lose myself within. I'm keeping this book close to hand, to open up and read snippets of whenever I feel blue.
One of my biggest regrets in life is not having seen Leonard Cohen live in concert. His music is the one I usually turn to when I need comforting. His voice cuddles me and he's a part of that very small group of songwriters who are also poets. Cohen's songs speak to me in ways not many other songs do. They have a depth rarely found nowadays, originality and multiple roads of interpretation. He had a unique talent of mixing sensuality with real-world, strong, sometimes downright disturbing imagery.
I can't say I loved each and every poem here. He was a man in search of divinity and I'm not anywhere near that world, so his more religious poems didn't speak to me in any way. Here and there there are some duller, maybe, unchallenging, vanilla verses that were merely ok.
But there's a lot of profundity in his poetry and constructions that I love to read, reread, explore and lose myself within. I'm keeping this book close to hand, to open up and read snippets of whenever I feel blue.
September 29, 2023
If only the hummingbird
would sip at your desire
If only the green leaves
could use your longing
If only a woman were looking
over your shoulder
at a map of the Eternal city
It seems that nothing can take you away
from this odd memorial
Nothing that's been made or born
separate you from
the fiction of my absence
All the Messiahs are with me in this
You're not supposed to be here
All the Messiahs agree
You're not supposed to be looking for me
May 30, 2012
It took me a long time to work through this compact volume for several reasons. First, I've not had much time to read of late -- just too darn busy with other things. Second, this wasn't a book I was keen to rush through. Cohen's intricate imagery demands concentration and is best enjoyed one, or at most a very few, poems at a time.
But ultimately, my slowness in finishing this book is related to my reluctance to give it five stars. Although Cohen is a brilliant poet and lyricist, perhaps one of the finest of our time, the vast majority of his work comes from too dark a place for me to "love" it. For one thing, I deal with human brokenness on a daily basis in my work. Too much Leonard Cohen after days dealing with people in psychic, spiritual or physical need is simply abusive. And although I nevertheless enjoy well-crafted books, movies and other media that deal with the serious and even painful side of existence, I prefer, for reasons of my own faith and my own sanity, to enjoy such works that have at least a whisper of redemption. Such redemption is rare in Cohen's work but all the more brilliant when it comes.
I am quite sure that I will read these poems again and again in the years to come -- the craft is that moving. But I will not love them, for the most part. The vision is simply too bleak.
But ultimately, my slowness in finishing this book is related to my reluctance to give it five stars. Although Cohen is a brilliant poet and lyricist, perhaps one of the finest of our time, the vast majority of his work comes from too dark a place for me to "love" it. For one thing, I deal with human brokenness on a daily basis in my work. Too much Leonard Cohen after days dealing with people in psychic, spiritual or physical need is simply abusive. And although I nevertheless enjoy well-crafted books, movies and other media that deal with the serious and even painful side of existence, I prefer, for reasons of my own faith and my own sanity, to enjoy such works that have at least a whisper of redemption. Such redemption is rare in Cohen's work but all the more brilliant when it comes.
I am quite sure that I will read these poems again and again in the years to come -- the craft is that moving. But I will not love them, for the most part. The vision is simply too bleak.
March 22, 2022
a legend
July 31, 2019
Cohen’s poetry and songs have simple rhyming that make each piece actually sound poetic, not just because the words rhyme but because of his word choice. His themes incorporate theology and love, and each poem and song is a solid example of what you do with poetry. All of the noteworthy poems:
Our lady of solitude
Montreal
Death of a Lady’s Man
True love leaves no traces
There is a war
Field commander Cohen
The Faith
Waiting for the Miracle
Light as the breeze
The tower of song
I’m your man
Ain’t no cure for love
Hallelujah
Coming back to you
Dance me to the end of love
I lost my way
Thousand kisses deep
A Street
Chelsea Hotel
The Killers
Avalanche
What is a saint
Suzanne
Fingerprints
Teachers
On hearing a name long unspoken
There are some men
Song to make me still
The cuckold’s song
Prayer for Messiah
As the mist leaves no scar
Our lady of solitude
Montreal
Death of a Lady’s Man
True love leaves no traces
There is a war
Field commander Cohen
The Faith
Waiting for the Miracle
Light as the breeze
The tower of song
I’m your man
Ain’t no cure for love
Hallelujah
Coming back to you
Dance me to the end of love
I lost my way
Thousand kisses deep
A Street
Chelsea Hotel
The Killers
Avalanche
What is a saint
Suzanne
Fingerprints
Teachers
On hearing a name long unspoken
There are some men
Song to make me still
The cuckold’s song
Prayer for Messiah
As the mist leaves no scar
June 2, 2015
Dei 3* como podia dar 2 ou 5*... mas no meio está o equilíbrio!
Não é um livro que se leia de "rajada" até porque é um livro de poemas, poemas no original e traduzido.
E um livro de poemas penso eu... é para ser lido muito devagar, até para "entender" o que o poeta eventualmente quer transmitir. Tentar adivinhar o seu estado de espírito quando escreveu/pensou/sentiu determinadas emoções.
Na sua linguagem meio rude, meio ao acaso, trás nos o quotidiano, a rotina, o simples e o complexo numa visão muito própria.:)
Curiosamente gosto de o ouvir, Leonard Cohen tem uma "voz" que se destaca e que prende, as canções tornam-se "doces" ao ouvinte.... os poemas...well.... não são fáceis!
Recomendo a quem de facto gosta de Leonard Cohen!
November 3, 2014
I am not sure that Leonard Cohen is always, in every poem, a great poet. But he is always, in every poem, interesting, in part because of what he isn't. He isn't a trained, academic poet. He may not be a poet's poet. He's not a shaper of words. And he isn't an American poet of the angst-and-awe school. He's something else entirely...something for which he doesn't get enough credit. He's a unique persona, bardic and earthy at the same time. Searching. Much funnier than his early music might suggest. And he's never cold, which may be the best thing I can say about any writer.
February 3, 2022
idk if its bc i dont read much poetry but i absolutely loved this. one of us cannot be wrong is probs my fav bc i adore the song but the whole thing is just amazing!!
December 14, 2022
Marvellous.
October 14, 2023
Well, the problem with songs is that most of the time they're written specifically for music. Different stanzas are changed so it will fit the song. The result is that we could get a nice poem that scanned nicely and had a great rhytm, and next we could get a wall of text that I wasn't sure if it was a song or a poem or what?
But I will say this: When Leonards poem hits, he hits hard! And when they miss, they miss hard!
Overall it was a neat collection, but I think a more die-hard fan would get more out of it than I did.
But I will say this: When Leonards poem hits, he hits hard! And when they miss, they miss hard!
Overall it was a neat collection, but I think a more die-hard fan would get more out of it than I did.
December 31, 2016
Ett fint musikprojekt för december. Lyssnade på ett par sånger eller inläsningar varje kväll.
Men nu:Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering.
Men nu:Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering.
January 6, 2021
Een zoete pijn, een lieve foltering. Ironie gaat hand in hand met totale overgave. Het fijne aan zo'n uitgave is dat songteksten en poëzie op een begeven moment door elkaar gaan lopen, waardoor je van sommige stukken niet meer weet wat het nu is. Sowieso ligt dat in het oeuvre van Cohen dicht bij elkaar. Soms is het ook zo raak: ''Love is the world's excuse for being ugly.'' Ook fijn om oude songteksten te herontdekken. Natuurlijk is het voornamelijk voor wie echt geen genoeg kan krijgen van Cohen, en werkt het als een fijn archief wat een doorsnede biedt. Of het nu gebeden zijn of liederen: ''it dont matter how you worship as long as you are down on your knees.''
Cohen is gepokt en gemazeld in het spirituele, de poëzie is mystiek en de mystiek is poëzie. Dit is zichtbaar in nummers als Born in chains: ''But in the grip of Sensual Illusion-A sweet unknowing. Unified the name.'' Dit is bijna Soefi poëzie, ligt dicht tegen Rumi aan. Of in andere nummers: ''Come forth from the cloud of Unknowing.'' Een verwijzing naar een religieuze poëtische tekst uit de Middeleeuwen. Religie is bijna iets altijd wat je opgelegd wordt bij Cohen, net als de opdracht in Going home. Je kunt je er simpelweg niet aan onttrekken.
Het gevecht tussen man en vrouw, en de stille pantomime van religie. Leven is wachten op het mysterie, ''waiting for the miracle''. Heiligen bestaan niet, want alles is gebrokenheid. Maar daar in die gebrokenheid klinkt zijn lied. Prachtig is het gedicht Song for Abraham Klein, het beeld van de ''weary psalmist'' is zo passend voor Cohen. De woorden zijn moe, maar de psalmist zingt uit gewoonte. ''he thought he knew no music-to make the morning right.''Zijn bekentenis is simpel; ''it was never me, it was always you.'' Dat hij nog maar veel van zich mag laat horen in ''the tower of song.'' Ik zou de hele dag Cohen kunnen quoten, maar we kunnen beter het laatste woord aan hem laten.
Cohen is gepokt en gemazeld in het spirituele, de poëzie is mystiek en de mystiek is poëzie. Dit is zichtbaar in nummers als Born in chains: ''But in the grip of Sensual Illusion-A sweet unknowing. Unified the name.'' Dit is bijna Soefi poëzie, ligt dicht tegen Rumi aan. Of in andere nummers: ''Come forth from the cloud of Unknowing.'' Een verwijzing naar een religieuze poëtische tekst uit de Middeleeuwen. Religie is bijna iets altijd wat je opgelegd wordt bij Cohen, net als de opdracht in Going home. Je kunt je er simpelweg niet aan onttrekken.
Het gevecht tussen man en vrouw, en de stille pantomime van religie. Leven is wachten op het mysterie, ''waiting for the miracle''. Heiligen bestaan niet, want alles is gebrokenheid. Maar daar in die gebrokenheid klinkt zijn lied. Prachtig is het gedicht Song for Abraham Klein, het beeld van de ''weary psalmist'' is zo passend voor Cohen. De woorden zijn moe, maar de psalmist zingt uit gewoonte. ''he thought he knew no music-to make the morning right.''Zijn bekentenis is simpel; ''it was never me, it was always you.'' Dat hij nog maar veel van zich mag laat horen in ''the tower of song.'' Ik zou de hele dag Cohen kunnen quoten, maar we kunnen beter het laatste woord aan hem laten.
May 16, 2023
This is the first selection of poetry I’ve ever read in totality, or is at least the first I’ve read as an adult. Any given author’s prose is as significant as their themes; I value form and function above most other aspects of a book, though the strength of one’s language is inevitably tied to their development of character and plot. Likewise, I’ve always had great admiration for lyrics and value them nearly equivalently to instrumentation when it comes to my favorite artists. Yet, I still hadn’t sought out poetry. That has begun to change recently, though I can’t fully explain why. I’ve just heard the music of my favorite lyricists and want more, whether that be in Dylan’s nonfiction or, in this instance, Cohen’s poetry. Dylan and Cohen are undoubtedly two of the strongest lyricists of American music (Dylan in particular being the greatest songwriter of any time), so it is natural that their work retain its power as text.
Cohen’s distinctive voice and consistent rhythm allowed me to digest his poems more thoroughly than some others I’ve attempted, and I believe this ease of entry will allow me to gradually expand my breadth. Regarding these specific selections: they’re excellent. Several songs are included, such as “Anthem,” which has been interpolated at least 3 times in the last few years, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong, Diamonds in the Mine, and Fingerprints. Cohen’s strongest work generally centers on intimacy, though there are great exceptions such as “The Killers”. This is an excellent collection for a relative newcomer to poetry such as myself (though I’ve worked bi-weekly open mic poetry nights for nearly 2 years), and I imagine it’s value likely transcends my status and applies to all readers.
Cohen’s distinctive voice and consistent rhythm allowed me to digest his poems more thoroughly than some others I’ve attempted, and I believe this ease of entry will allow me to gradually expand my breadth. Regarding these specific selections: they’re excellent. Several songs are included, such as “Anthem,” which has been interpolated at least 3 times in the last few years, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong, Diamonds in the Mine, and Fingerprints. Cohen’s strongest work generally centers on intimacy, though there are great exceptions such as “The Killers”. This is an excellent collection for a relative newcomer to poetry such as myself (though I’ve worked bi-weekly open mic poetry nights for nearly 2 years), and I imagine it’s value likely transcends my status and applies to all readers.
November 7, 2023
A beautiful book in every way. It's small, like an early edition of Whitman or Dickinson, with a difficult font, one poem per page, and an attached ribbon placemarker like the Bible. It is to be sipped, not gulped. It will take a while to read it thoroughly.
Themes discovered so far seem to point to a confusion about sexual and religious ecstasy, a need to feel one with the universe, and to find a recipe for getting there.
Anther reason why I avoid poetry is that, having spent precious time deciphering obscure references in order to translate the poet's code, the theme that emerges is banal and could be stated in a few straightforward sentences. If the poet is that interested in keeping his secrets, who am I to try and understand WTF he is trying to say?
Obviously, I have a grudge against poetry which often seems to be chiefly an effort to conceal one's true self behind idiosyncratic associations. However, like many psychologists, I do have a bit of a soft spot for detection and solving puzzles. So if I can get into it and combine poetry with other original sources, it becomes a game and therefore a lot more fun. I also know that poetry can sometimes touch a nerve even if you don't fully comprehend every word.
I have decided, with the help of a Netflix doc about Cohen (called Hallelujah, of course) that the emotions that his songs evoke are worth a little effort. I will be working on this for a while, though. 4+/5 stars
Themes discovered so far seem to point to a confusion about sexual and religious ecstasy, a need to feel one with the universe, and to find a recipe for getting there.
Anther reason why I avoid poetry is that, having spent precious time deciphering obscure references in order to translate the poet's code, the theme that emerges is banal and could be stated in a few straightforward sentences. If the poet is that interested in keeping his secrets, who am I to try and understand WTF he is trying to say?
Obviously, I have a grudge against poetry which often seems to be chiefly an effort to conceal one's true self behind idiosyncratic associations. However, like many psychologists, I do have a bit of a soft spot for detection and solving puzzles. So if I can get into it and combine poetry with other original sources, it becomes a game and therefore a lot more fun. I also know that poetry can sometimes touch a nerve even if you don't fully comprehend every word.
I have decided, with the help of a Netflix doc about Cohen (called Hallelujah, of course) that the emotions that his songs evoke are worth a little effort. I will be working on this for a while, though. 4+/5 stars
June 7, 2021
This is an excellent collection of Cohen's poem, beautifully bound in a small, handheld edition. His poetry is stark and surprising, prophetic and relentless, cynical and despairing. His poems reveal a man desperately seeking for more. Often Cohen addresses a woman/female caricature that resembles the poetry of Petrarch, especially in the way the Renaissance poet calls out to the silent, idolized, and idealized woman on a pedestal. Cohen's work is also religious but not conventionally so. He loosely and (at times) indifferently synchretizes materialism, Judaism, Catholicism, and New Age beliefs. The most powerful and recurring emotion seems to be erotic love, in which Cohen seems to demand that Eros deliver what it cannot give... Agape, that is, true, Divine Love from the Creator.
December 24, 2023
I really enjoy Leonard Cohen’s writing. The religious themes carry a lot of weight for me, especially the explicitly Jewish poems. He also writes about love and lust in such a way that stirs the passions of my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, and I really enjoyed being able to read along to the songs as I listened to them.
July 22, 2018
really just kind of underwhelming, sorry
April 12, 2019
One word: amazing 😍
January 14, 2023
literally what else is there to say? what a guy! everybody know. “i lost my way” is on my fridge
June 13, 2024
There's a lot of wisdom with Cohen, but I felt a little hammered on the relationship grief with this particular collection. Maybe that's just because I'm not feeling what he does.
August 30, 2017
This was a joy to read. Reading some of Cohen's great songs as poems brought them to life in a new way. Reading some of his other poetry convinced me again that he was a creative genius.
December 29, 2021
It was absolutely wonderful reading his stuff, the lyrics, the poems—everything.
It brings back such strong nostalgia
It brings back such strong nostalgia
June 17, 2020
I usually find that I don't have a lot of luck with poetry. I never seem to connect with it very well and just end up frustrated.
BUT this collection by Leonard Cohen feels so effortlesslygoodthat a lot of it was a joy to read. He has this command over language that I just know I won't find in a poet again for a while, and that's ok because it's worth reading through a number of dud poets to find one like this. I wish I had gone through and marked my favourites but I guess that gives me a reason to look through it again at some point!
BUT this collection by Leonard Cohen feels so effortlesslygoodthat a lot of it was a joy to read. He has this command over language that I just know I won't find in a poet again for a while, and that's ok because it's worth reading through a number of dud poets to find one like this. I wish I had gone through and marked my favourites but I guess that gives me a reason to look through it again at some point!
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December 20, 2022Wer nicht liest ist sosososo doof
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