There aren't many times I’ll continue to read from an author that I don’t fully understand. I think most of us are this way. But there is one author that I continue to misunderstand (I think), and yet, I continue to read his work. His name is Leonard Cohen. I haven’t met too many people (at least from around my age) reading his work. Let me just give you an excerpt so I can make this worth your while (does that even make sense?).
From his “Book of Mercy” this is the 10th psalm:
You have sweetened your word on my lips. My son too has heard the song that does not belong to him. From Abraham to Augustine, the nations have not known you, though every cry, every curse is raised on the foundation of your holiness. You placed me in this mystery and you let me sing though only from this curious corner. You bound me to my fingerprints, as you bind every man, except the ones who need no binding. You led me to this field where I can dance with a broken knee. You led me safely to this night, you gave me a crown of darkness and light, and tears to greet my enemy. Who can tell of your glory, who can number your forms, who dares expound the interior life of god? And now you feed my household, you gather them to sleep, to dream, to dream freely, you surround them with the fence of all that I have seen. Sleep, my son, my small daughter, sleep – this night, this mercy has no boundaries.
Now you see what I mean don’t you? If you’re like me (for your health I hope you’re not, but for this post I hope you are so we can have a common understanding), then you read the above work and thought, “Okay, so, that wasn't too inspiring…pretty simple language, kinda sounded like the Bible, if I tried real hard I could gather what this dude was really getting at.” Then you feel a little blood running down your nose and hear something hit the ground behind you. You turn just in time to see the backside of a midget dashing around the corner with your brain in one hand and an exacto knife in the other. Now, just in case you really are like me, don’t follow that midget, it’s really not worth your time.
