Love itself (From: Ten new songs)

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
Post Reply
Meryam
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:58 pm

Love itself (From: Ten new songs)

Post by Meryam »

See also:
viewtopic.php?t=18422

The light came through the window,
Straight from the sun above,
And so inside my little room
There plunged the rays of love.

In streams of light I clearly saw
The dust you seldom see,
Out of which the nameless makes
A name for one like me.

I'll try to say a little more:
Love went on and on
Until it reached an open door
Then love itself
Love itself was gone.

All busy in the sunlight
The flecks did float and dance,
And I was tumbled up with them
In formless circumstance.
[ Lyrics from ]
I'll try to say a little more:
Love went on and on
Until it reached an open door
Then love itself
Love itself was gone.

Then I came back from where I'd been.
My room, it looked the same
But there was nothing left between
The nameless and the name.

All busy in the sunlight
The flecks did float and dance,
And I was tumbled up with them
In formless circumstance.

I'll try to say a little more:
Love went on and on
Until it reached an open door ¨c
Then love itself,
Love itself was gone.
Love itself was gone.

A very beautiful song with a deceptively simple-looking text and music

Through the open window (the soul, Mat!) comes warmth and light, straight from the sun i.e. God ('You know who I am, you stared at the sun'). The window is open: let go, be receptive and it will come to you

In the sun I see the dust i.e. myself (man is made out of dust and ashes). The nameless calls me by (my new) name. A name not 'for me', but for 'one like me' : I read that as: one, not deserving the Grace, like me

Love went on and on, of course: God's love is without limits. (Human love is limited, that's why a next song is titled: You have loved enough... this was all you can mange)
It came in through an open window, it leaves through an open door and that is how it is supposed to be: you can't keep love for yourself in your little room, it has to float freely, it is not static, it's not yours

I like " I'll try to say a little more" and then he repeats himself over and over again! My Bhakti-teacher does that too: he says things a few times and when a pupil gets it and says: Why didn't you explain before? he answers: I said it a thousand times!

I was tumbled up:
it is not an active process, I was tumbled up (like my teacher says: you don't breathe, you are breathed) and in formless circomstance. Diane pointed out "Form and emptiness" already, the famous words of Shariputra. (In Holland we had a magazine called Form and Emptiness, and then Buddhism became a 'hype' and a lot of wannabe-Buddhists didn't understand the title. Now they have changed it into : Buddha Magazine :-(

I came back from where I had been
that seemes to me an out of body experience, I saw myself float in the air, I was very near to God, God went right through me
You are aware, but on a different/higher level. You are present, you are aware of your body: you can see yourself walk, or being tumbled up, but for a while you are not IN your physical body (You can always come back, just move a finger)
Diane

Re: Love itself (From: Ten new songs)

Post by Diane »

Welcome to the forum, Meryam. Nice post:-), and I'm glad you've got Mat going again. You have caused me to dig out my Ten New Songs for a listen, and I look forward to reading more.
User avatar
brightnow
Posts: 853
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 5:54 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: Love itself (From: Ten new songs)

Post by brightnow »

Columbia May 11, 2009; Boston May 29, 2009; Durham November 3, 2009; Las Vegas December 10 & 11, 2010; Austin November 1, 2012; Boston December 15, 2012; Brooklyn December 20, 2012
Post Reply

Return to “Leonard Cohen's poetry and novels”