Tag: Leonard Cohen

Throwback Friday, Destination

Continuing the Leonard Cohen thread from yesterday, today’s Throwback Friday poem, Destination (June 2024), began as a “writing between the lines” exercise for our Dome Poets group here in Geelong. Using Cohen’s The Goal as my guide (shared below), I tried to shape a companion poem that sits quietly between each of his lines.





Destination, by Ivor Steven

The curtains are open
The front door is ajar
So, I can hear her sing
From her distant star

I do not own much
My soul is a gold mine
I haven’t lost my touch
My heart is kind

I share what I have
I have hope and love
Couldn’t stop the flood
Couldn’t hold her glove

I walk alone
I look content
Regrets are few
Despair ferments

I push on and on
I do not complain
I’m still alive
I’m numb to the pain

No one asks
No one knows
About finality
Under the snow

===========================

“The Goal”, by Leonard Cohen


I can’t leave my house
Or answer the phone
I’m going down again
But I’m not alone

Settling at last
Accounts of the soul
This for the trash
That paid in full

As for the fall, it
Began long ago
Can’t stop the rain
Can’t stop the snow

I sit in my chair
I look at the street
The neighbor returns
My smile of defeat

I move with the leaves
I shine with the chrome
I’m almost alive
I’m almost at home

No one to follow
And nothing to teach
Except that the goal
Falls short of the reach





And finally, before the night fades, the poem whose shadows and truths shaped my own lines — Leonard Cohen’s The Goal.


.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Amazon >> Amazon.com : Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)




Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.



Ivor Steven ©  August 2026

The Portrait That Found Me

“I wish I could say everything in one word. I hate all the things that can happen between the beginning of a sentence and the end.” … Leonard Cohen

Tonight, at the launch of naXOs — Geelong Writers’ new anthology of resonant, experimental poetry — I was invited to read my piece The Portrait That Found Me. Now that the book is in my hands, I’m delighted to share the poem here as it appears in the collection. It grew from a quiet, unexpected moment, the kind of encounter that shifts its own boundaries and finds you before you find it — a fitting addition to an anthology that celebrates fresh connections through image, language, and form.


Moments from tonight’s naXOs anthology launch — my reading of The Portrait That Found Me, shared among friends, voices, and a generous audience.



The poem as published in the naXOs anthology.




And to end the night, a final nod to the voice that steadied my steps — Leonard Cohen, Field Commander of the tender and true



Ivor Steven ©  August 2026

An Emerald Tapestry

  “Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.” ― Leonard Cohen
Featured Image Above: taken from the lookout at the Moorabool Valley Chocolate Cafe, overling the emerald valley …

An Emerald Tapestry


I resumed living last decade

Narrowly surviving gravities finality

Now, I lean against my tower’s balustrade

That overlooks an emerald valley


Echoing from my castle’s balcony

I hear Leonard Cohen’s words about life’s pagentry

Outlining the spiritual tapestry

Of commonality, morality, and vitality





Ivor Steven (c) November 2021

A Singer Must Die



Five years ago

On that day

I cried

I cannot forget

The death of a ladies man

When he found his, sisters of mercy


On this day, hallelujah

I now, fondly remember

By the rivers dark

In the land of plenty

Our, Field Commander Cohen

Singing from above, in his, Tower of Song


Attached Videos Below are in order of appearence in “Italic song titles“ in my poem above.

On That Day

I Cannot Forget

Death of a Ladies Man

Sisters of Mercy

Hallelujah

By The Rivers Dark

In The Land Of Plenty

Field Commander Cohen

Tower Of Song




Ivor Steven (c) November “7th” 2021

Strings

Today’s poem, is a piece I originally wrote in June 2017, and the words were influenced by Leonard Cohen’s song, “Show Me The Place”, and this being the 5rd anniversary of his passing, I thought it an appropriated day to re-post my poem. I’ve revised the poem a couple of times, the original title was “Violin Strings”, but overall, the meaning of my words have stayed intact..   The Featured Image above, is scanned copy from, “The Wordless Songbook”, Leonard Cohen, by George A. Walker, book cover print, (A book, in my personal library)


Strings

I’m singing a song, about you

Singing words, both wistful and true

From my heart to my soul, the veins

They’re as tight as violin strings

I needed you, to take my hand

Take my hand and show me the way

Show me the way, to a formal debut

Show me the way, into your dancing shoes


I needed you, to take my dreams

Take my dreams and show me how to behave

Show me the way, to your family home

Show me how to drink, from your holy grail

I needed you, to take my open heart

Take my heart and show me how to pray

Show me the way, into your world

Show me how to fly, in your milky way


I needed you, to write some heavenly notes

Take my violin and show me how to play

Show me the way, to your harp’s wings

Show me the way, into your heartstrings





Ivor Steven (c) November “7th” 2021

Throwback Friday, Home, by Ivor Steven

My tribute post for Leonard Cohen, up at “Go Dog Go Cafe”

ivor20's avatarGo Dog Go Café

This Sunday 7th of November, will be the fifth anniversay of Leonard Cohen’s passing. On that day 2016, I wrote this poem “Home”, as my little tribute to the man who was my personal muse and mentor for over fifty years. Back then my words were inspired by his song, “Show Me The Place” … and now I have to add “Thank You For Dance” Leonard Cohen …

Home

Take me to my home

Home is where my heart is

Home is on that windy hill

Home is a secret valley

Home is a heavenly cloud

Take me to my home

I’m waiting here all alone

I’m packed ready to go

I’m departing this old place

I’m leaving this world behind

Take me to my home

I know the beyond will be greener

I know you’ll there

I know you’ve been waiting

I know you’ll hold me again

Hold me…

View original post 115 more words

Tonight, I Hear A Light

Tonight, I Hear A Light

 

From his tower of song

The teacher heralds his story

Thought provoking and foreboding

His words, are wise and profound

Almost a lullaby to your inner child

Or shaking your soul, almost to death

Recognising the ancient past

Honouring a vaccinated future

In a world that has been torn

His personal eulogy, is solemn but not forlorn

My heart will keep living the romance

Thank you for the dance

 

 “It’s Torn”  Lyrics, by Leonard Cohen

I see you in windows that open so wide
There’s nothing beyond them and no one inside
You kick off your sandals and shake out your hair
The salt on your shoulders like sparks in the air
There’s silt on your ankles and sand on your feet
The river too shallow, the ocean too deep
You smile at your suffering, the sweetest reprieve
Why did you leave us, why did you leave

You kick off your sandals and shake out your hair
It’s torn where you’re dancing, it’s torn everywhere
It’s torn on the right and it’s torn on the left
It’s torn in the centre which few can accept

It’s torn where there’s beauty, it’s torn where there’s death
It’s torn where there’s mercy but torn somewhat less
It’s torn in the highest from kingdom to crown
The messages fly but the network is down
Bruised at the shoulder and cut at the wrist
The sea rushes home to its thimble of mist
The opposites falter, the spirals reverse
And Eve must re-enter the sleep of her birth
And up through the system the worlds are withdrawn
From every dominion the mind stood upon
And now that it’s over and now that it’s done
The name has no number, not even the one

Come gather the pieces all scattered and lost
The lie in what’s holy, the light in what’s not
The story’s been written the letter’s been sealed
You gave me a lily but now it’s a field

You kick off your sandals and shake out your hair
It’s torn where you’re dancing, it’s torn everywhere

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Nov 2019

 

 

 

Violin Strings (Revised)

Today’s poem, is a piece I originally wrote in June 2017, and the words were influenced by Leonard Cohen’s song, “Show Me The Place”, and this being the 3rd anniversary of his passing, I thought it an appropriated week to re-post my poem. I’ve slightly revised the poem, but overall the meaning of my words have stayed intact..   The Featured Image above, is scanned copy from, “The Wordless Songbook, Leonard Cohen, by George A. Walker, page/113, (A book, in my personal library)

Violin Strings

 

I’m singing a song, about you

Singing words, both wistful and true

From my heart to my soul, the veins

They’re as tight as violin strings

I needed you, to take my hand

Take my hand and show me the way

Show me the way, to a formal debut

Show me the way, into your dancing shoes

 

I needed you, to take my dreams

Take my dreams and show me how to behave

Show me the way, to your family home

Show me how to drink, from your holy grail

I needed you, to take my open heart

Take my heart and show me how to pray

Show me the way, into your world

Show me how to fly, in your milky-way

 

I needed you, to write some heavenly notes

Take my violin and show me how to play

Show me the way, to your harp’s wings

Show me the way, into your tunes

But in the end, you took my heartstrings

Then you burnt my soulful lines

Melting my broken violin

Into unplayable, twisted strings

 

A Singer Must Die

Three years ago

On that day

I cried

I cannot forget

The death of a ladies man

When he found his, sisters of mercy

 

On this day, hallelujah

I now, fondly remember

By the rivers dark

In the land of plenty

Our, Field Commander Cohen

Singing from above, in his, Tower of Song

And below, I’ve attach the entire music/video of the ‘Leonard Cohen Memorial Concert’ from,  Centre Bell, Montreal, QC, Canada | November 6, 2017. The video goes for 1 hour and 30 minutes, and is certainly well worth watching. Enjoy !!

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Nov 7th 2019