As you probably know *now* better than ever before and better than anyone else on this planet that people do indeed love poetry, especially yours. This has been proven abundantly by now from the sold out (and last minute added on “one more night”) performances that you have are still giving relentlessly throughout the world, with sweet and enduring generosity. To my mind Mr. Cohen the world has finally clued in on your decades old admirers’ well kept (though not closely guarded) secret of a ”Leonard Cohen wavelength”. Perhaps it is one of those new satellites they have put into orbit…that has led the rest of the world to finally tune in. Of course there are admirers, and then there are admirers of your body of work, nay your sensually and spiritually incendiary body of work, which curls and swirls like smoke into realms of mystic abandon. But let me get to the reason I write to you.
On behalf of others like myself, “oppressed by the figures of beauty”, I wanted to request you, implore you …and if necessary grovel before you to please please (twice on purpose) publish some of your songs and poetry in YOUR spoken voice. I have heard your spoken voice many a time and most recently on your “Live in London” track referred to quite simply as “Recitation”. To say nothing of your spoken word version of “Democracy” years ago on the CD titled “The United States of Poetry”. They are all quite incredible.
You can be sure Mr. Cohen that your spoken voice has infinite meanings for the admirers of your work. Perhaps as the few initiated (for lack of a better word) we do not share the view that responds to a singing voice that can hit the high notes etc. etc. Because no one else, truly no one else can compare to your spoken word interpretation of your (or any other poet’s) work in fact. Many of us heard your work from the “Book of Longing” performed by artistes working with Mr. Glass…..it was a disappointment to many of us to say the least…except of course the track you performed. I commented elsewhere on this forum about it and I wasn’t alone in my disappointment. This is another reason for publishing your work in your voice Mr. Cohen. And besides it will be more convenient to do esp. when compared to your present touring.
Through the years your voice has been characterized in many different ways, some not too kind, but others have described it as smoke scarred, whisky soaked, baritone and so on…..but for us the descriptions of your voice have little meaning. We want to hear your voice. We often read of your notoriety for taking years to finish a song because you work and re-work your lyrics over and over until they have given of themselves in a state of surrender and become yours. Publishing your work in your spoken voice will not require re-working as it is already published in print. But it will bring countless hours of joy to millions of us…I am sure there are millions of us by now.
Anyhow, Mr. Cohen my request is simple. And I do not want to take up any more of your time because I know you are incredibly busy with your tour commitments….but from the deepest recesses of my heart (dare I say our hearts…I think I can…) please Mr. Cohen please do publish your work in your spoken voice….ideally with similar stirrings of pregnant music which never quite bursts forth as there are on your performances of “Democracy” and “Recitation”.
In closing I am including an email I sent to you at the beginning of January 2008 which made the same request as I do now. Incidentally, years ago I had shared my thoughts along similar lines in one of my posts on this forum to which others had responded favourably.
With the deepest of ardent hopes that if for nothing else you will publish your poetry and songs in your spoken voice for the sake of poetry if not for admirers of your work.
Thank you for reading Mr. Cohen,
With love and admiration,
Biraj Khosla
From: Incandescent Skylight [mailto:skylight@sympatico.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:18 PM
To: info@5042mail.com
Subject: Requesting Mr. Cohen
Dear Mr. Cohen:
Like millions of others I know you well, very well, or as well as one can from being a lover and admirer of your work for the past 37 years or so. And well.. I am just an e-mail with a sender's name to you
The reason I decided to write to you is that like me all admirers of your work do indeed believe that you have the "gift of the golden voice" (though we know you meant it differently). Is it at all possible for you to publish your poems and ideally all your writings as an audio series *in your voice*. There are many times I have watched the "The Tibetan Book of the Dead " mostly just to hear your narration of the video.
I also found your spoken word version of "Democracy" with some background audio effects hauntingly beautiful. In fact it would also be wonderful if you were to read the work of poets whom you admire, like your friend Irving Layton, and publish those as well. Forgive me, perhaps I am getting ahead of myself here.
Please Mr. Cohen please, do publish some of your writings in your voice. I can assure you that admirers of your work all over the world will embrace your spoken word work as we have embraced all the work you have done over the decades. In fact even if you read the phone book out loud and published it I am sure we would welcome even that. But I earnestly hope that in the foreseeable future you will publish any of your poems in audio read by you.
I will not take any more of your time.
With love and in enraptured admiration of your work,
Biraj Khosla
coming up, the chance to hear Leonard recite any of his works, thrills me. I think a 'Master Poems' type of recording with new material, would be an addition to all we 'Leonard lovers'. I thought also, that there was talk of the Book of Longing, being a recorded work with Leonard reciting. Not having been at those shows, it would be a very welcomed addition to my collection.
