Saturday, February 16, 2013

LEONARD COHEN CAME HERE (after Alexandra Leaving)


Unexpectedly the prince of poetry came here
It was as if by wishing it, I had made it so
On stage a seeming apparition, the man he did appear
Replete with all his words, and his beautiful old soul

He stood in spot lit adoration and sang each song
With perfect modest tone and mild aplomb
Was glorious beyond my wildest hopes, all night long
Wrapped us all in warmth and held each one of us in his palm

It was not magic, it was not imagination, it was real
I knew I'd wake the next morning still floating on the sound
It felt as if every time he looked up, each note was just for me to feel
Each song selection picked with me in mind, how easily I was found

And even though I'm sure the rest of the audience thought
That he was singing for them and them alone
I didn't care, let them have their foolishness, if sought
I knew for whom he was there singing; for me, let it go unknown

As shocked as I was that he actually came here
I almost forgot to relax and take the wondrousness of him in
He pours his soul, his heart and all his being into every piece
It was like receiving communion without committing original sin

And spending such a sacred time within that space
Bathed completely by words and sound and spirit of a kind
When on stage, the seeming apparition, the prince of poetry
He played to all of us with inexhaustible verve and brilliance of mind

And even though I'm sure the rest of the audience thought
That he was singing for them and them alone
I didn't care, let them have their foolishness, if sought
I knew for whom he was there singing; for me, let it go unknown

As shocked as I was that he actually came here
I almost forgot to relax and take the wondrousness of him in
He pours his soul, his heart and all his being into every piece
It was like receiving communion without committing original sin

To anyone who is mystified by my adulation
There are no words of mine to justify it more than these
I am in awe and I guess I always will be
Leonard Cohen came here, if you please

Oh yeah - I am in awe and I guess I always will be
My hero Leonard Cohen came here, yes he did, if you please


 (written the day after seeing L.Cohen in concert Nov.19,2012)
                                                                      






7 comments:

  1. It was not magic, it was not imagination, it was real....receiving communion without commiting the original sin...ha...you make it so magical...makes me think of seeing U2 and how that was a spiritual experience for me...


    would be so cool to see him in concert...

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  2. Man - you are fast off the draw Brian! And yes, it was spiritual for sure ... I know what you mean about U2 ... I'm not even a huge fan of theirs but worked the concession a Commonwealth stadium (fundraising so my kid could go on a fieldtrip to Europe - she was 12, I think) - anyhow, I took a break and sat in with 62,000 fans and never went back to work! They were so awesome live, I became a fan! It was their "martini" tour (I don't know what else to call it but it featured a huge martini glass as part of the set... I think anytime you get that many people singing and screaming, you fall in love with the group, you can't help yourself ... got to see the Stones that year the same way but was already hooked on them from 40 years earlier ... still, there's nothing to compare to Leonard, I must admit ... thanks for stopping by, I always appreciate hearing from you

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  3. Sharon, you feel about Leonard Cohen as I do. And I know exactly what you mean when you say you think he is singing directly to you. He has that way...and, yes, I am sure many feel that way. He is doing a concert here in March. Sigh. I doubt I will see him, but I would love to. There truly are few people I would REALLY like to see in concert; but he is one of them. He is my poetry and singer hero too. An amazing person, one of a kind! Swoon.

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  4. Sharon- He was singing just for you... and that's what makes him such a legend, the fact he makes his fans feel that way. I had the same experience with Michael Bolton.

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  5. way cool to see him live...sounds like an awesome experience and that magic when everyone in the room thinks he's singing just for and to them alone...cool

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  6. More than any others, these three lines had me completely hooked:

    Bathed completely by words and sound and spirit of a kind
    When on stage, the seeming apparition, the prince of poetry
    He played to all of us with inexhaustible verve and brilliance of mind

    ReplyDelete

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