Contributor Series 9: If Men Had Ears
Tone Poem: The Finale, “Leonard Cohen–I’m Your Man”
By Max Reif
He stands at the mic,
craggy faded eagle
in a grey suit, singing the verse
in a voice of smoke
surrounded by stark figures
black like spectres
from his own youth.
As he finishes,
the band picks up the chorus
and he stands there
smiling with his eyes
closed, just listening
and you feel his whole
life in that smile
and your life too
as though the silent
voice of the most beautiful
loser had given
birth to the whole world.
Max Reif’s poem, Gourmet Love Poem, was published here in April 2011.
Oh. So. Good. I’d never have thought to describe him as a “craggy, faded eagle…” but how perfect.
“…and, you feel his whole
life in that smile
your life, too.”
Perfection! I love Leonard Cohen and I LOVE your poem. Thanks Max!
and
Exactly! I heard Leonard Cohen being interviewed and what struck me was that every pore of his being is poetry. His words and pauses and inflections were all poetry and at the same time natural. What a presence to try to live up to. Nothing like my lazy “awesome” or “cool” verbal references for just about anything.
Agree, agree, agree. Great poem.