Just Lately

Still coming around after my near brush with the unspeakable, just lately we seem to have been consumed by my/our love of Leonard Cohen. I don’t know if I ever mentioned in the past, but it was my interest in him as a younger person that first got me writing poetry. Years ago I loved his music first; it was later that I got into his poetry and who could not?

Ever-since I got out of the hospital though, I have been doing more reading and movie watching. Not long ago, for my birthday actually; (Feb 14) Elizabeth brought home from the library a DVD of Leonard Cohen’s 2008 tour in London, England. I was captivated. Actually seeing him perform live onstage was something I had not seen before. I was left with an insatiable hunger for more of his music. I had never really listened in depth to his lyrics for the songs, the words absolutely amazed me.

Most nights before we go to bed we end up playing some of his music. The problem is, once we start listening we keep playing more, it has that kind of effect, at least on us it did. I doubt that there are any of his songs that we don’t like, but like all artists, we do have our favorites.

Here then is a short list of what we like the most to end the evening with:

In my Secret life
Alexandra Leaving
Take this waltz
Famous blue raincoat
The gypsy’s wife
Can’t forget
Night comes on
Rivers of dark
Love it-self
Master’s song.

Since then, we purchased the video of that concert and added a number of CD’s of his music to our collection. Needless to say, every time we play a song of his we are amazed at the accomplishments of this man.
We also picked up his latest biography by Tim Footman and it was excellent reading. In addition, we just bought his latest book of poetry, “Leonard Cohen, Book of Longing”.
Once you spend a little time listening to Leonard, it’s not too difficult to become enraptured with his music and hypnotized by his genius with words.
Here is a man who with his sheer talent with the English language, has managed to bridge the sands of time for all eternity, painting his soul into all he creates.
It can be said in all honesty, that with the aging of his years (75 now) and the coarse sound of his voice, he has become better.

You have to live forever Leonard!! The world needs you.
Well, I do.

C’ya