help! what does the last stanza mean?/humbled in love

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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Tamaraz
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 3:56 pm

help! what does the last stanza mean?/humbled in love

Post by Tamaraz »

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858920736/

trying to work out that last beautiful stanza.....
Steven
Posts: 2140
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 12:32 am

Re: help! what does the last stanza mean?/humbled in love

Post by Steven »

Hi Tamaraz,

I hear the stanza as expressing that there's a "desire" present that, if acted upon, will result in one of the partners in
the song's relationship doing something that will destroy the "love" (present at least as a "vision" or possibility). Desire seems to be tied to be tied to betrayal, a further carrying forth of the crushing of vows mentioned in the opening stanza.
The consequences of acting upon the desire, the song character opines, would be going against humility (the subordination of selfishness/ego to the relationship). What do you think?
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