Monday 14 November 2016

An Ode to Leonard

Today I am remembering and mourning the loss of Leonard Cohan.  His songs have spoken to my heart and soul all my adult life.  Below is an Ode to Leonard which is my attempt to say a little of what he meant to me and so many others.  As Leonard he "got us singing even though the news was bad.  Blessings on your journey.



Ode to Leonard
Now, so long, Leonard, and
 It truly is time that we begin
To laugh and cry
and cry and laugh
about it all again

You were my man
You were my muse
In a famous blue raincoat
You slyly revealed
 Glimpses of your wisdom
and the mysteries you
gave your voice to.

The gift of your golden voice
Which we were blessed to hear
So loud and so clear. 
Will now longer ring
The voice of the midnight choir
Will no longer sing.

You have danced to the end
Of Life but not love.
You have danced to the end
Of life but not of your song.

You music will go on
From beyond the grave
From beyond the great beyond
For us here to sing along.

May the Sisters of Mercy
Escort you to a heaven  
Which will not be dead
 On the Saturday nights that lie ahead.
The Gates of Love have opened wide
To dance you to the end of love inside.

You sang that democracy
Was coming to the U.S.A.
It has revealed foremost and first
to be  the home of the best
and the home the worst.

You were the little Jew
Who wrote the bible of songs
Of love and faith.
Of life both right and wrong.

You showed us Jesus there on Calvary’s hill
Who told us all to love, not hate.
He knew that we could still be true
But there was lots left, it is not too late. 

You told us of the Jesus
In the lonely wooden tower
Who was a sailor bold and true
Water walking on that sea of blue.

You sang the song of Isaac brave
Sacrificed to the vision holy.
And Bethlehem who inflamed us there
Like the shy one at an orgy

The crack in everything
That let the light come in
Like the temple veil is now torn
And our hearts are rent in two

That light has returned from whence it came
To leave us bereft and shorn.
That golden voice so pure and true
Has left us here sad and forlorn. 

The Tower of Song where you reigned
Is empty now inside
That other tower is waiting on high
With its gates flung open wide

Waiting arranged in sweet array  
Are Hank and all the lords of song
To sing you on your way
To your new Tower of Song.

You no longer ache in the places
Where you used to play
The voodoo dolls have all been
Safely stored and locked away.

We will not be hearing from you now
That you are so far away. 
 There will be no new songs to sing
No more music to love and play.

So toll the bells that still can ring
The gates of heaven are now opening.
We will not forget that you gave
to each of us a perfect offering.

It is now truly closing time
So let us sing out loud and strong
 One last and glorious Hallelujah
To our patron saint of song. 

May the Sisters bend to comfort you
In your heavenly new home
And sing one more Hallelujah
To the patron saint of song. 




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