A question about 《ELEGY》

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
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LY24
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A question about 《ELEGY》

Post by LY24 »

ELEGY
挽歌

Do not look for him
In brittle mountain streams:
They are too cold for any god;
And do not examine the angry rivers
For shreds of his soft body
Or turn the shore stones for his blood;
But in the warm salt ocean
He is descending through cliffs
of slow green water
And the hovering coloured fish
Kiss his snow-bruised body
And build their secret nests
In his winding-sheet.

不要找寻他
在敏感的山涧溪流中:
它们对任何神都太冷漠;
不要检查那愤怒的河流
为他柔软身体的碎片
或为了他的血而翻开岸边的石块;
但在暖和咸味的海洋里
他正顺着悬崖
沉滞绿色的海水下降
那盘旋彩色的鱼儿
亲吻他那白色瘀伤的身体
并建造它们隐秘的窝
在他缠绕的裹尸布里。

I have a question about this poem, Cohen looking for who is the dead boy?is his friend or a mythical figure?
I very like this poem from《Let Us Compare Mythologies》,Delicate, sincere and full of imaginative, without exaggeration, very natural.

I wish somebody can help me!
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LY24
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2015 12:03 pm
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Re: A question about 《ELEGY》

Post by LY24 »

I know this poem seems to imply that man is Orpheus.
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