Leonard Cohen

Au Revoir Leonard

~ Elizabeth ~ 4 Comments

leonard_cohen

I wrote about Leonard Cohen a few days ago as I was baking the 36 minute apple pie. I followed him all his musical(and not so musical) life and continue to be moved by his last album.

We all will come to the end of our lives and will have a chance, God willing, to do some deep reflection on how we used our, to quote the poet Mary Oliver, “ one wild and precious life.” Cohen does that in the last album asking for a treaty with God, history and those he has loved.

Some times in history call for contemplation of our individual and collective purposes. I think this is such a time. We can surrender to either despair or jubilation, depending on our political outlook. Neither is ever warranted by the election of any flawed human being to the presidency of one country. Instead we can look to the Beatitudes for our blessings. They provide cold comfort for the entitled, close-minded and smug. But they provide sustenance for those who keep putting one foot in front of the other in the pursuit of peace, justice, elimination of suffering, and hospitality to the stranger.

THE EIGHT BEATITUDES OF JESUS

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10

Leonard Cohen and Apple Pie

~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

applepie

Leonard Cohen recently released an astounding album which runs for 36 minutes. It turns out that the time it takes me to peel 10 apples, slice them, sugar and cornstarch them and put them in a pie crust is 36 minutes. It is a wonderful juxtaposition to be listening to dark, end of life musings while making an sweet apple concoction. Somehow it seems metaphoric, that dark and light can co-exist, both in me and around me.

I first heard Cohen when he and I were very much younger, back in the mid-1960’s. In fact I knew a girl who had slept with him in Toronto. (Probably hundreds of women know someone who slept with Cohen!) Now as he muses about Judaism, life, cults, death, sex and love, I experience reverberations of my own past. Lovers come and gone, spiritual struggles, a desire to reconcile with those estranged.

The music accompanied bittersweet remembrances. The pie welcomes home my husband, present time love. It reminds me that most things have turned out well after all.