leonardcohenforum.com

Dear Natalie,

Good for you! How exciting....challenging....scarey.....all that jazz! I'm happy for you and I'm very pleased to hear that Government Street was well received. I'm not at all surprized....and you sound elated!

They want you back....a very good sign! Congratulations, and we heard it here first [G.S.]! Keep up your good work, as well as your courage.

Lizzytysh

P.S. 60 is a lot of songs.....good, bad, or otherwise!

Thank you everyone for encouraging me so much.

I'm doing a series of readings, twice a week for a month. The first one was really successful, and I hope they'll come back for more. My friends want me to play my guitar, but I don't know if I'm at that stage yet. I play for friends and family, and I even went busking once in the courtyard of the library. And get this -- I made 75 cents. Obviously more people need to go to their library and read.

But, you got to start somewhere, and now I have the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a successful poet and musician.

Again, thank you for your support.

Cheers,
Natalie

Dear Natalie,
"I knew you when....[da da da, da da da da, da da dum]" ..... seriously, I'm happy for you for pursuing your love of music in the outside world. Follow your heart and the rest will follow. No advice asked or forthcoming on the guitar issue....only noting that I hear your quandary. I'm guessing you'll always feel a bit nervous, no matter what, yet there are still levels of nervousness that are good indicators to pay attention to. I really feel that you'll know when the time is right for that.

May you be at your best during your upcoming performances. I'm anxious to hear how they go.
~Lizzytysh

I wrote this last night.

English Professor

we think like giants
bold that nothing could
topple our thoughts . . .

the giftshop that
sails on the water stacks
Canadiana and other kitschy
goods didn't say anything
was good about it but
I fumbled upon her poetry

there was my would-be mentor
who some whispered was mentally unstable
bound pages with scribbled metaphors
the perfect typeface could not make right
the teacher with the aching head
ignored what I wrote dark
in the night

she's the caterpillar of the literary
community
sure to take flight

we think like giants
bold that nothing could
topple our thoughts.

Natalie Fuhr

What you're saying about academia/the intelligentsia is so true, Natalie. May your mentor soon emerge with butterfly wings and sail above it all, perhaps even landing lightly on giants' rock-hardened shoulders.
~Lizzytysh

Dear L,

Thank you for being prolific!

Again, you're dead on in regards to my latest poem. You're very perceptive.

Last night, we did our second poetry reading. We also launched our magazine which is dedicated to creative writing in all genres. So, we're super excited. We want to do an issue devoted to Leonard Cohen, because he has influenced many of our writers. What do you think my chances are of snagging an interview with THE MAN? Probably slim to none.

Well, again, thanks for reading, and responding.

Take care,
Natalie

Hi Natalie,
Thanks for your feedback/confirmation/affirmation [I'd like to take "credit," however, to me it seems you made it crystal clear with your writing]. Congratulations on your second reading [which I'm presuming to have gone well]. Super great on your new magazine [is it subscribable to? ~ as I would like to].

If Leonard weren't reportedly so gloriously busy producing more stuff for himself and us all, and if he hadn't just come through the flood of interviews related to Ten New Songs, I'd say you'd likely ~ somehow ~ be able to arrange for an interview with him. My sense would be that perhaps, when he comes out with his new album/book of poetry, you'd stand 1000% better chance of somehow securing one. You'd surely have a better chance of it than at this point! There just have to still be so many people, for 1 or 1000 reasons, still clamoring to get to him for an interview, for something! It seemed like he did what he felt was appropriate and then headed for relative seclusion, at least in that regard. Someone else [i.e. Jarkko] may have a better hit on it; however, that's my take.

Thanks for your response, Natalie.

~Lizzytysh

Dear Lizzy,

Well, I don't know if I'll ever secure an interview (damn I should've gone into journalism). But, I am planning an LC event in September with the Victoria Writers' Society, based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. You can get more information about it under the "News" heading, if you want.

I'm doing our weekly poetry series entitled POETS@ on Thursday at a hostel in Victoria. It should be fun. I might play my guitar, but since I broke both of my elbows on July 1, I've been having difficulty playing -- it hurts. I notice, though, that every day it gets better and I can play for longer.

Anyway, I hope you're doing well, and I look forward to your reply.

Take care,
Natalie

Hi Natalie,

I saw in your announcements that you've received permission from Leonard for use of an unpublished poem. How delightful! Hearty congratulations! Perhaps, in time, you will be granted an interview with him. As visualization goes, that's the one I'd be holding onto. Just remember, you wouldn't be the first non-journalist to have ever conducted an interview. Being a poet is being closer to Leonard in essence than being a journalist, anyway.

What kind of a predicament did you find yourself in, that you emerged with two broken elbows? I'll bet it does hurt!

So, what about subscriptions? That would be fun for me to read, knowing someone who's participating in it.

Thanks.

~Lizzytysh

Natalie, you should post your poems separately; otherwise forum members might lose some in a string of correspondence. You have a voice; use it!
With my best wishes, Andrew.

Natalie, permit me to repeat myself: you have a voice which speaks through your writing to an audience. You are already finding that audience, not so much through the confines of this forum (though some may gain comfort and delusions of adequacy by sticking their stuff in cyber-space), but from your readings, your attention to your craft, and the work you do.( Oh yes, it's WORK).
Keep in touch, Andrew.
P.S. If you want, please correspond with me outwith this board; I would like to exchange poems with you.

Natalie- I'm sooo sorry to hear that! Both elbows eh? I can relate... I broke my arm 2 weeks ago, I can't play anything... probably 10 more weeks to go =(. I hope you get better soon.
Ev

Ev: Yep, both elbows. When I do things, I try to do them well. It was kind of cool, though, seeing my X-rays on this huge computer monitor; the emergency room doctor e-mailed my X-rays to the orthopedic surgeon I'm returning to see in 2 weeks. Gotta love technology. Thank you for your sympathy: good luck to you, too.

Andrew: I'd love to workshop poems with you. If you want, send some of your poetry to nataliefuhr@hotmail.com. I'd be very happy to take a look at them. I'm very honoured that you want to share your work with me.

Lizzy: Thanks for your vote of confidence.

Cheers,
Natalie

Everett Wade wrote:Natalie- I'm sooo sorry to hear that! Both elbows eh? I can relate... I broke my arm 2 weeks ago, I can't play anything... probably 10 more weeks to go =(. I hope you get better soon.
Ev

I'm still worried about your arm. Is it better yet? Please keep us well up to date. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.