Sisters of Grammar

[david birkett]

Oh the sisters of mercy, they are not departed or gone.
They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on.

Has anyone commented on the possible grammatical error here? I'm no expert, but 'couldn't' would seem to be correct, although it would disrupt the scansion, which could be repaired by omitting 'just'.

I worry that this worries me.


David

[Bhasi]

You SHOULD be worried, David! No, seriously, I've always liked this departure from the norm. The lyric as a whole seems so carefully wrought that this bit seems to stop it being too precious, keeps it 'real' (innit?)

[Steven]

Hi David,

Maybe the switch of tense was for evocative purposes. Present tense is more
compelling. And on the usage front, the "Oh" might properly have been
followed by a comma. Admittedly, though, I'm out of my league with
any comments on grammar and usage.

[John Etherington]

Leonard might have sung "I couldn't go on", but it doesn't matter (poetic license and all that!).

[david birkett]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I suppose I'm surprised by such a meticulous lyricist making what may be a basic error of tense, but this feeling doesn't jeopardise the status of the song as one of my favourites.

I became interested in both Cohen and gardening relatively recently, in the (supposedly) mature stage of my life, and, as it was the first song I learnt entiely by heart, I used to sing Sisters to the plants as I watered. They now receive a more varied repertoire.

David

[anneporter]

David,
I suspect the word choice is not an error but an artistic choice. It places the singer and the listener at the hinge of past/present--even future, because "go on" is future-oriented To use "couldn't" would limit the listener to considering a story from the past.


Anne

[anneporter]

David,
Oh,yes, and I meant to mention--I also garden to the sound of Cohen, on my laptop, which I move around the garden as I go. I usually curb my urge to sing out loud until I'm back in the house, for the sake of the neighbours. I guess I still have some inhibitions left

A

[Tony]

Maybe you could get a garden gnome which has a repeating tape of LC? That would safeguard your laptop. I am surprised they are not selling them at the concerts.

[anneporter]

Excellent idea, Tony. Maybe I'll make one...

[david birkett]

Since the river of this thread has delightfully been diverted into Leonard Cohen and gardening (and why not indeed), I thought it would be a reasonably harmless thing to do to compile a list of suitable tracks.

E.g. Aster Song;
The Fuschia
Waiting for the Miracle Gro
There for yew

Peace and mulch.


David

[anneporter]

Cute!

[Ziyad]

And David, don't forget the much loved 'Wisteria', I prefer Leonard's version to the X-Factor's

[hydriot]

And of course 'Bougainvillea Street'