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Sex, religion, isolation, complex interpersonal relationships drive the poetry of Montreal born, Leonard Cohen. Tweak the poetry with some impish wit; paint it with the ecstasy and pain of inner, secret chords and landscapes; imbue it with the bleak, melancholic monotone of a hypnotic, sensual voice and you may be magnetized, like many others, by the poetry of Leonard Cohen. Or is that his music you hear?

This man, born in 1934, to a middle class Jewish family, who only attained average grades at school, published his first mesmerizing poetry, "Let Us Compare Mythologies", in 1956. The critics loved him instantly! But the public was not beguiled, yet! But, by 1961, with the publication of his second book of poetry, "The Spice Box of Earth", the international love affair with Cohen's work began. "Flowers for Hitler"(1964) and "Parasites of Heaven"(1966) followed. The sense of dark beauty in the titles alone fascinated and allured the public enough to buy and try! They were best sellers!

But Cohen was a man of music. That haunting, silent music already evident in his poetry, burst into more tangible sounds. Cohen voiced the dark spirit of Everyman. He gave voice to the tortured, raw, human condition, closeted in Everyman, and glorified it as a thing of beauty and wonder. Who can forget the stark image of Suzanne "wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters ", and, as the words flow, you hear Cohen's hushed but stirring, slow tones singing into the depths of your soul. Rugged beauty personified!

And so began Cohen's journey, where poetry became song lyrics became the real music of poetic expression, mixed with a couple of divergent novels. This is the Cohen who has generated an international "fan club". There are blogs and websites worldwide devoted to acclaiming the unique voice of Canadian, Leonard Cohen.
"When I was a teenager, I wanted to be Leonard Cohen. I wanted to fuse the sensual and the spiritual as experientially as him. He represented for me a world-traveling poet, a sensualist, and (as Joni Mitchell described him) a "holy man on the FM radio."
Michael Guillen, California www.theeveningclass.blogspot.c om

Some reviewers compare Cohen favourably with such giants as James Joyce. Some suggest his work is on a par with the soulful allures of Bob Dylan; but Cohen's work has more intellectual grunt. "Hallelujah" by Cohen forms part of the soundtrack of the popular movie "Shrek".

His writings cross countries AND cultures. There is even a Croatian website supporting all things Leonard Cohen! www.leonardcohencroatia.com

Par t of the charm of Cohen's work is he seems to blend poetry and music. He feels any division between the two is artificial. Music is an extension of his poetry. It is his poetry.

The enduring attraction of Cohen's "messages" is evidenced by his prolific output of writing, spanning the 1960's through to the early 21st century, the here and now. His latest publication is a poetry collection, "Book of Longing" (2006). It includes old and new poetry, interspersed with whimsical, playful line drawings, not unlike the philosophical challenging outlines of Australia's own cartoonist, Michael Leunig. In the drawings, there is a sense of a child's innocent wonder on the big questions of life; they stand in marked contrast to the "rough and gruff" thoughts on the page! Or do they? Already, this book has generated a wide range of interest on the web. And Cohen is now in his 70's! He can still influence the masses!

So what is poetry to Leonard Cohen?
"Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash."
And the public continues to connect with, identify with the ash of Leonard Cohen's poetry.
For some of the ash, could be theirs.

Learn more about this author, Gemma Wiseman.
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