The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

:razz: :razz:
Wow! Very concise Diane. I knew you had it in you; I merely needed to stir the pot a little. ;-) ...and bingo "instructing you to say goodbye, and propelling you into the moment"; beautifully said!
By the way, I have a night/moment to propel into tomorrow (Friday); I will be meeting up with Andrew Darby and Dean (from Adelaide)and some Aussie Forum members (Ania and friends)after the Leonard Concert in Melbourne. A great night for me and mine as we have met none of them before in the flesh!!!
Oh it's a tough life :roll:

8) :lol:

Mat. (good night to you too) Nos da.
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
Diane

Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by Diane »

That's really exciting Mat! Have the best time! I am certain Leonard will take you into the mystic:-)
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

You Have Loved Enough

I said I’d be your lover.
You laughed at what I said.
I lost my job forever.
I was counted with the dead.

I swept the marble chambers,
But you sent me down below.
You kept me from believing
Until you let me know:

That I am not the one who loves –
It’s love that seizes me.
When hatred with his package comes,
You forbid delivery.

And when the hunger for your touch
Rises from the hunger,
You whisper, “You have loved enough,
Now let me be the Lover.”

I swept the marble chambers,
But you sent me down below.
You kept me from believing
Until you let me know:

That I am not the one who loves –
It’s love that chooses me.
When hatred with his package comes,
You forbid delivery.


"I swept the marble chambers"....I love that liberating line.

I know we have visited this poem before, but not yet on this thread, I think.?
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I am going to take another look at this poem/song, soon; so spin the wheel and place your bets! before I pollute this space yet again ;)

MatbbgJ
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
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TineDoes
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by TineDoes »

mat james wrote:You Have Loved Enough


"I swept the marble chambers"....I love that liberating line.

I know we have visited this poem before, but not yet on this thread, I think.?
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I am going to take another look at this poem/song, soon; so spin the wheel and place your bets! before I pollute this space yet again ;)

MatbbgJ
Hi Mat,
Yes it was on this thread, pages 2 & 3 :).
But do tell why you love this line and why you find it liberating?
Tineke
"There’s no forsaking what you love ...."

Rotterdam 2008; Antwerpen, Dublin 2009; Gent 2x, Lille , Las Vegas 2x 2010, Gent, Amsterdam, Dublin 2x 2012, Antwerp, Berlin, Rotterdam 2013
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

I don't really know, Tine, I just do.

???Maybe I relate it to "spring cleaning"; a new and fresh beginning.
The best of the old refreshed in the new; vistas of culture and time in an omnipresent moment that sweeps by.

"I swept the marble chambers" :D

MatbbgJ
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
holydove
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by holydove »

My favorite verse:

And when the hunger for your touch
Rises from the hunger,
You whisper, "You have loved enough,
Now let me be the Lover."

The way I see it: when one's hunger for everything else - love from other people, sex, fame, wealth, etc. - transmutes into hunger for union with the Divine Source (God, Higher Power, whatever one calls it) - & you realize that is what you are really ultimately longing for - that's when the Divine Source comes to you.

Someone once asked the meditation Master, Swami Muktananda, what the difference is between praying & meditating, & he said, "When you pray, you speak & God listens. When you meditate, God speaks & you listen." So in these lines: "You have loved enough/ Now let me be the Lover" - God is saying "just be still now & let me come to you."
Diane

Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by Diane »

holydove wrote: Someone once asked the meditation Master, Swami Muktananda, what the difference is between praying & meditating, & he said, "When you pray, you speak & God listens. When you meditate, God speaks & you listen." So in these lines: "You have loved enough/ Now let me be the Lover" - God is saying "just be still now & let me come to you."
I like that. Holydove, and I'm put in mind again of the last line in Book of Mercy: Blessed is the one who waits in the traveller’s heart for his turning. Shut up and listen:-). I can't be reminded enough.
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

I like your traveler's sauntering, Diane, holydove.

We saunter with the mouth, and that helps us
saunter with the mind
and when we tire
or are real lucky
we saunter into stillness
...and do some of that "turning"
"...there the dance is,
...and do not call it fixity,"
- & you realize that is what you are really ultimately longing for - that's when the Divine Source comes to you.
I love it, holydove.

MatbbgJ
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
Diane

Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by Diane »

mat james wrote: We saunter with the mouth, and that helps us
saunter with the mind
and when we tire
or are real lucky
we saunter into stillness
...and do some of that "turning"
"...there the dance is,
...and do not call it fixity,"
I like your spin, Mat!

I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope
For hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love
For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith
But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.
Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought:
So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.


Something this morning reminded me that listening without hope also applies to listening properly to other people. Simply and fully listening to them without concurrently cooking up a reply in my head. It's hard sometimes:-)
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

listening without hope also applies to listening properly to other people.
You must be a good friend, Diane.
It is not easy to listen that well.

MatbbgJ
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
Meryam
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by Meryam »

I swept the marble chambers,
But you sent me down below.


To me marble has the association of being cold (in colour as well as temperature) and expensive. The "I' is looking for love in the wrong place, in high atmosphere where it is not, love is down below. And his actions are wrong and useless too: marble doesn't need to be swept, only slightly dusted. He is putting way too much effort in it!
He will only succeed when he relaxes, and listens to the whispering.

In business the credo is: don't just stand there, do something!
here it is: don't just do something, stand still! and put your broom away
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

Well, your interpretation has swept my marble chambers, Meryam!
;-) 8)
Following on from your view; perhaps "you" brought him back to Earth and took him home to bed.
Yes, that sounds very Leonard.
When I analyze Leonard's work I tend to get lost and stuck in those marble chambers you refer to.
It is fun to go "down" occasionally!
Thanks for the reminder. :)

MatbbgJ.
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
Meryam
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by Meryam »

hello Mat,

It wasn,t meant to be personal, but whom the cap fits... ;-)

I'm curious aboyt your comment on my interpretation of 'junk', down below...
and I wrote about Alexandra leaving, but I had the impression this forum was dead so I posted it on Songmeanings

Meryam
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mat james
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by mat james »

I'm curious about your comment on my interpretation of 'junk', down below...
What part of my "comment" are you referring to Meryam?
Cut and paste the section and I will endeavor to respond coherently;
well it usually makes sense to me ;)

Mat.
"Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." San Juan de la Cruz.
Meryam
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Re: The poetry of "Ten New Songs"

Post by Meryam »

Hey Mat, are you awake in Australia??

Here it is 12 o'clock
see:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=33005

http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/42869/
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