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.