cities
bring you poems,
and orchards
pass by.
in your bed,
grief,
listening to sleep
beautifully explained,
weep cannot kiss
your face.
Lovers
put on her lips like clothes,
wear her body
pyramided
against the disappearing wall.
The sky
washed
of Lebanese
smoky filigree cages
apes and peacocks
do not hold,
in the burning street in each other’s arms,
peacocks drown the melting throne.
the king
lies
stuttering
in the suitcase beside your bed
we meet again,
in white,
smelling of orchards,
you awaken,
tired of this dream.
the sad-eyed man.
He stayed by you .
have something
to say to him.
Written for: https://blackcatalleyblog.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/whiteout-wednesdays/
The original text:
You All in White by Leonard Cohen
©Leonard Cohen
Whatever cities are brought down,
I will always bring you poems,
and the fruit of orchards
I pass by.
Strangers in your bed,
excluded by our grief,
listening to sleep-whispering,
will hear their passion beautifully explained,
and weep because they cannot kiss
your distant face.
Lovers of my beloved,
watch how my words put on her lips like clothes,
how they wear her body like a rare shawl.
Fruit is pyramided on the window-sill,
songs flutter against the disappearing wall.
The sky of the city
is washed in the fire
of Lebanese cedar and gold.
In smoky filigree cages
the apes and peacocks fret.
Now the cages do not hold,
in the burning street man and animal
perish in each other’s arms,
peacocks drown around the melting throne.
Is it the king
who lies beside you listening?
Is it Solomon or David
or stuttering Charlemagne?
Is that his crown
in the suitcase beside your bed?
When we meet again,
you all in white,
I smelling of orchards,
when we meet —
But now you awaken,
and you are tired of this dream.
Turn toward the sad-eyed man.
He stayed by you all the night.
You will have something
to say to him.
WOW, that makes a big difference doesn’t it.
I guess so…
I Iike your interpretation of the Cohen song — makes for good a poetic expression.
Thank you Lorraine have a good day
Just up having coffee, so the day has yet to unfold. Hope you had a good one, and your tomorrow is great.
Every day is a good day
So good to hear — makes me think I could have a good day too (some days).
Thank you so much Michael 😀
I’m like a little kid gone madly ecstatic when I read what people are coming up with when they play with these prompts!
Seriously …. I’m just so blown up, enthralled, bewitched, ensnared ….. it’s amazing …. truly astounding how picking and choosing, in the moment, totally changes the cadence, the meaning, the images set out!
This is another “WOW” wowowowowow wowie moment for me. And I hope you enjoy just playing as much as I enjoy reading these 🙂
Pat it is so pleasing to see you frolicking in the excitement of it all…..
LOL – well I hope you’re having fun too 🙂
It is amazing isn’t how you can create something completely different by just deleting a few words here and there..
it really is ….. and I find it so cool – because it’s just another way of looking at things and is a great source of inspiration 🙂