I have neglected sacred duties The future punishment of my soul May yet be more severe There were too many days Visiting with laughter In songs and cries of ecstasy Without a sigh, a bow or sway Towards the murdered millions The children thrown to metal jaws The women into seething lime The old ones...

"And you who had the honour of her evening
And by that honour, had your own restored ....."

thank you Carm! "heartbroken but alive" describes it well ..... Richard

Under the hillside awnings, round the tables where cool air contends with sunlight Every day of every week Saint John the Evangelist hands out Good News advisories of real estate Inherited by the meek Nazir the Syrian Engineer studies by night and keeps the cappucino Flowing constantly by day While ...

You wrote your book of longing Took down the songs of mercy Every style of tenderness Was in your verse exalted Go you now to write The last song of redemption Before it is too late To sing its vast refrain You old bastard, Leonard You faithlessly transcribed The sacred rhymes and litanies Of holy d...

She builds her pleasant garden Where the winds are not so strong The sun sometimes relenting Becomes her companion The garden spreads its arms to her Thick shoulders, fragile hands The creepers and the vines that bear Her flowers from many lands There is shade upon her shadow And a path of leaves an...

If it should happen like this: That one day you are gone And I myself still hanging on, I will break down in tears When I hear the news I will be listening one more time To your ragged song. I will sing lightly, gliding on The quiet thunder of your voice Not diluting your expression Nor can I forget...

I saw Leonard Cohen on TV slightly stooped, shining white hair dinner jacket, black bow tie it almost broke my fragile heart to see him there, soft poet of white heat go forth among a multitude that did not care much for his art and were not turned to wonder, nor to stone. He called us to repent I d...

Come closer to me, dearest love, To secret homes where we belong Let my embrace be all your world Our whispers its most perfect song Discovered as a woman, man In unity by four hands bound Joined in knowing timeless love The silence of harmonious sound Make me completed of your love And I will bring...

We are beautiful losers, we do not forget to see The holy native girl, her face a sky of peace A hungry teenage prophet, hurrying down the street Knowing his direction but not to where it leads A President still simmering in his righteous juice His soul emiting vapour, a cauldron of defeat Caruso in...