Friday, April 03, 2009

Into each life a little Leonard Cohen must fall...

A Street by Leonard Cohen

I used to be your favorite drunk
Good for one more laugh
Then we both ran out of luck
And luck was all we had

You put on a uniform
To fight the Civil War
I tried to join but no one liked
The side I’m fighting for

So let’s drink to when it’s over
And let’s drink to when we meet
I’ll be standing on this corner
Where there used to be a street

You left me with the dishes
And a baby in the bath
And you’re tight with the militias
You wear their camouflage

I guess that makes us equal
But I want to march with you
An extra in the sequel
To the old red-white-and-blue

So let’s drink to when it’s over
And let’s drink to when we meet
I’ll be standing on this corner
Where there used to be a street

I cried for you this morning
And I’ll cry for you again
But I’m not in charge of sorrow
So please don’t ask me when

I know the burden’s heavy
As you bear it through the night
Some people say it’s empty
But that doesn’t mean it’s light

So let’s drink to when it’s over
And let’s drink to when we meet
I’ll be standing on this corner
Where there used to be a street

It’s going to be September now
For many years to come
Every heart adjusting
To that strict September drum

I see the Ghost of Culture
With numbers on his wrist
Salute some new conclusion
Which all of us have missed

So let’s drink to when it’s over
And let’s drink to when we meet
I’ll be standing on this corner
Where there used to be a street

4 comments:

Joe Jubinville said...

My favorite Jewish Christophile.

"I’m not in charge of sorrow"

Ha! Tink to that!

Michelle said...

I hope this isn't printing up twice; something went awry as I was writing here. Anyway...my daughter Emma came bounding up to me after Church on Sunday to let me know that she had been gifted with a ticket to see Leonard Cohen at a local venue next month! A friend had won the tickets from a radio station and had invited her. She is thrilled beyond words, and I am thrilled for her ( Hallelujah indeed ) but OH so envious of my beautiful and talented girl! I tried to secure tickets myself but the show was very quickly sold out except for the most expensive tickets that I couldn't justify even for Leonard...and so it goes. Have you seen the film Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man ? It's stunning, really. I don't know if it's rentable at a Blockbuster or something, but I've seen it for sale at Borders and Barnes and Noble. Worth spending an evening on. And how are you Rick? Happy Easter! Yours, M.

Ricky said...

Just got a DVD player from a friend who swapped it out for a newer model and needed help hooking the new one up. Since this seems to be the season for Leonard Cohen, "I'm Your Man" gets first dibs when I hook it up here at the anchorage. Thanks for the tip.

Ricky said...

Tink! Indeed! Ha! Indeedier!

So happens I'm the keeper of the church sign out front, so when Holy Week came and went and it was time for a fresh sign I had to rise to the new occasion. But in the midst of all these living signs around and about us, choosing a few choice words to add to the party posed quite the challenge - as I'm sure you can well imagine. But these words from our dear Leonard came echoing down through the years, an apt verbal response to the call of the blossoming world around us:

GOD IS ALIVE
MAGIC IS AFOOT

Remember that?

So that's what's on our sign. I like it. And now the neighbors have begun to peep and twitter and declare themselves present. I hear them. I like that even more.