I was in my first year of college when I learned of Leonard Cohen. And by learned of him I mean my English prof played 'Suzanne' in class and I immediately dismissed him and his work as stupid. I was bored by his low register, by the repetition, by the lack of what I thought was instrumental interest, by the stupid lyrics that I didn't understand.
I was distracted by the boy that sat next to me. We often giggled conspiratorially at the prof's poor english skills. She was a fresh faced middle aged lady from Russia who spoke with a heavy accent. We never forgot one incident in which she was trying to describe an animal to us. "It's large, has spotted fur...." We stared at her blankly. "Rhymes with leotard..."
Could she possibly mean leopard? As one, the class burst into laughter. We sat there laughing at our bewildered professor for at least a minute. (We were a jolly, if somewhat immature bunch.) Finally, wiping the tears from my eyes, I enlightened her as to the correct pronunciation of that difficult word. Her face changed colour as she quickly went on with the lecture.
I've developed a bit more sensitivity since that year. Cohen moves me. I listen to him on repeat at work and the time flies by with his beautiful words.
You held on to me like I was a crucifix.
Like a baby stillborn
like a beast with his horn
I have torn
everyone who reached out for me.
I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that time cannot decay.
I said, "Lady, unfold me".
Just to show, babies are assholes, even stillborn ones.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any sensitivity whatsoever?
ReplyDeleteR,
ReplyDeleteIt looks like someone has grown and matured since being a baby faced freshman...I love the honesty in your confession of how you treated your teacher.
And I am beginning to sense a distinct writing style with depth and yet is light hearted, that puts a smile on my face each time. Let’s have more....!
P
Thanks, P. Happy to make you smile.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience with Suzanne, but it was in high school. One of my classmates played Suzanne for the class himself on an acoustic guitar. My reaction was a bit different though. I initially thought that this Cohen guy was pretty amazing... and then I listened to him play it himself. That's how my love for Leonard Cohen songs sung by other musicians was born.
ReplyDeleteI was about to write some scathing remark in Cohen's defence but it's true that his lyrics and not his voice are the real allure.
ReplyDeleteAm I going to be the only one to point out that you have yet to move beyond your first year of college? You make it sound like you are fondly reflecting back on your youth after decades of lovingly becoming intimate with Cohen's work.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you are experimenting with a different vantage point for the sake of gaining skill and literary adeptness. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
I freely admit that I have only reacquainted myself with Cohen in the past month or so and am not an expert on him (or anything else for that matter) in any sense of the word.
ReplyDelete