Leonard Cohen's Cousin

Leonard Cohen's Cousin

I  wish I was

Leonard Cohen's cousin

In old Montreal

Housed adjacent to cobbled roads 

Laid down by Norman artisans

Centuries ago

He could have taught to me

Much more

Than ever else

I would know

I heard that Leonard

Even he couldn't take 

Much more

He's hiding in retreat 

At some fadish ashram

On that California shore

Too much bullshit and his

Wrong kind of sins

The last straw was

Some f*****g PR star

Hired to say

To Leonard

At 5k a day

Where Leonard's career is going

Where his karma has been

Pontificating on

What is out 

As opposed to

What is in

I wish Leonard Cohen was here

Just me and just him

We could laugh and drink lager

Dance on the tables

Seduce beauteous women

Wielding but poetry 

And impish grins

Because you only live once

Leonard Cohen knows that

I learned it from him.

Reviews

[Lydia Shutter]

A wonderful tribute to a great poet. Yes, spending time with him would be a special experience. Poetry and impish grins.....indeed. If Leonard Cohen knew how many people he taught important life lessons to, he would be grinning from on high. I enjoyed this. Lydi**

[ba_mcfarlane]

Thank you for such generous words! I love the man's music and poetry. I wish I could write like that; simple phrasing to create powerful images. Brilliant. Thank you again.

[Joyce S. Greene]

Leonard Cohen was not a poet that I was very familiar with, Brian, so I just read some of his poetry and I found I did know at least some of his work. Of course, "Suzanne" is a classic - I believe it's a song as well as a poem. And "The Sisters of Mercy" touched me deeply because I was taught by that order in College. So, yes, now I can see why you would want to spend some time with him and I don't blame you at all. And we used to live in Vermont so I became quite familiar with Montreal - a very beautiful and historic city. You have written a wonderful tribute to a very gifted poet, Brian.

[ba_mcfarlane]

Thank you for the kind words and review....b

[Frieda P]

OMG if you were Leonard's cousin, I'd love you! He is my favorite poet of all time...it wouldn't have mattered is this write was bad, I was still going to relish in it, but as it turns out, kudos sir, very good read...did I mention how much I love Cohen?

[ba_mcfarlane]

I have loved Leonard's work for decades, I always figured it was a Canadian thing, so many great writers came out of Montreal, like Irving Layton.
Cohen was the best writer/ songwriter from this country. Gordon Lightfoot, Robbie Robertson, Joannie Mitchell, they were all brilliant....they are still. Cohen was our best.

[Emerald Seas]

Oh, I really like this, Brian! What a great writing and tribute to Leonard. I enjoyed reading this very much. And although it is definitely a "guy's stanza" I love the second to last! Great job!

[ba_mcfarlane]

Is it really a guy's stanza? Wouldn't you love to dance on tables? I would like to think that is about living life o the fullest. If you ever get to SW Ontario and want to do some table dancing,look me up!

[Emerald Seas]

Chuckling... I think my dancing on table tops phase is over, but thanks for the offer! :) I was referring to the lager and seducing beauteous women... Neither are my thing!

[ba_mcfarlane]

Jeez,in this part of the world, lager is great, women with spirit are better! What man wouldn't want to dance and charm an interesting woman!

[Emerald Seas]

Haha - let me know when the guys are dancing on table ops. That would be a sight to see :)

[ba_mcfarlane]

Ask me..I double dare you!!

[Larry Dyson]

great verse...but tense and who or what it is adveb to?..
"Housed adjacent to cobbled roads

Laid down by Norman artisans

Centuries ago

He could have taught to me

Much more

Than ever else

I would know"

[ba_mcfarlane]

I figure that if I know all the rules, it's ok to break whatever, as long as the piece feels good to me. As long as the cadence is there, and the work has pace and rhythm throughout, the theme I'm sending out, it works for me like that.
I could care less about 'proper' grammar, tense, spelling, whatever.
If stretching the envelope was good enough for ee cummings and Nikki Giovanni, who am I to disagree?

[Larry Dyson]

I agree im "into- being out of the box" as well

[Larry Dyson]

"


Where Leonard's career is going

Where his karma has been

Pontificating on

What is out

As opposed to

What is in"--nice

[ba_mcfarlane]

thank you

[Ken Simm.]

You could spend the night beside him and you know that he is half crazy, but that's why you want to be there. I so agree. There must be a name for a poem about a poet. Some of his lines have lived with me for three quarters of my life. And its funny when they come up.

[bob, small b. aka invs]

when i was growing up, my poetry world revolved around Leonard Cohen's Selected Poems, Lawrence Ferlinghetti's Coney Island of the Mind, and assorted e.e. cummings poems. i totally understand the reverence and respect you show for leonard in this. it brought an understanding smile to my lips.

[ba_mcfarlane]

I can think of nothing better than drinking my face off with Cohen, until "closing Time." Which is 5 am or whenever the last glass is served, whatever comes last.
Sometimes, the real good neighbourhood bars, they only close with the Sunday sun on the rise. God bless Montreal.

[Penlady]

I wish you were both here! I've been reading your latest and enjoying. Except for the Ma Belle Femme Du Nord....I was jealous with that one...blondes DO have more fun!!! Its just that your writing provides a vision that we would all adore living....Brian, really, Ma Belle Femme Du Nord is WAY passed an exquisite vision ..it is a classic read and so wonderfully human and warm..what more beautiful than a soft woman offering a place for all you have to share...almost too beautiful if that is possible...

[ba_mcfarlane]

Such kind words, my dear friend.

[ba_mcfarlane]

O' dear poet, how I do love how you dwell in the perfect past! ~such an amazing write.... I cheers, and hear the notes..... wonderful write!

E.L.

[ba_mcfarlane]

I have loved Leonard's work for many years, pure genius. Myself, I have danced on too many tables too many times, so some would say, me, I'm good with it all.
I know that he did too. Maybe, it's a Canadian thing? Hope so.

Lol I smile

[ba_mcfarlane]

So sweet, thank you my dear friend.