The final pages of "Beautiful Losers"

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
I'm your fan
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Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2004 2:45 pm

Re: Beautiful Losers may take this writing philosophy to

Post by I'm your fan »

Dear Nathan:
You said (I quote:)


Quote:

At a certain point, when the Jews were first commanded to raise an altar, the commandment was on unhewn stone. Apparently the god that wanted that particular altar didn't want slick, didn't want smooth. He wanted an unhewn stone placed on another unhewn stone. Maybe then you go looking for stones that fit. Maybe that was the process that God wanted the makers of this altar to undergo.

"Beautiful Losers may take this writing philosophy to an extreme..."

That remains me of this younghood poem of LC:


When young the Christians told me / how we pinned Jesus / like a lovely butterfly against the wood, / and I wept beside paintings of Calvary / at velvet wounds / and delicate twisted feet. ...

"FOR WILF AND HIS HOUSE" -- Let Us Compare Mythologies; Selected Poems 1956-1968
jmflash
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Post by jmflash »

I just read Beautiful Losers about a month ago for the second time. Everything seemed much clearer the second time around. Some interesting things I noticed this time was that the lyrics to the Future are in part of the book. Is "Sail on, Sail on, O Mighty Ship of State" a reference to something? I also noticed that there is a paragraph in the book which is exactly the same as what he says on the "Ladies and Gentlemen...Mr. Leonard Cohen" video. That being the paragraph about a saint not dissolving the chaos of the world but instead finding a kind of balance is his glory.
Arno
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Location: Munich, Germany

Post by Arno »

Hi jm

I noticed that too, see also my thread "state of grace" somewhere below in the same section
One thing I often wonder about, is whether LC talks to friends and family the same "thoughtful" way he talks in interviews... then I understand Adams line on the "appreciation" on his CD, about his wonderful excentric parents... ;)


cheers,
Arno
UbiquiDP
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Post by UbiquiDP »

In Death Of A Lady's Man, Cohen says, "I decided to jump literature ahead a few years." Although he was joking I think he may well have really done that. Beautiful Losers reads like a David Lynch movie. I think you need to read it more as several long poems. I liked the ending.
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annaedith
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Post by annaedith »

when i read the book for the first time, i was 13. i didn't understand more than half of it, but when i read it again not much later, it all made sense. i think you shouldn't analyze it too much. the feeling you get when reading it is a very balanced, beautiful thing. i especially liked the end, showing the great chaos once again and then going BEYOND it with timeless words.
*********** beauté est partout**********
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