"Gift" by Leonard Cohen
You tell me that silence
is nearer to peace than poems
but if for my gift
I brought you silence
(for I know silence)
you would say
This is not silence
this is another poem
and you would hand it back to me.
So, guys. I have no idea where to even start with this poem. Help.
The only thing that comes to mind is the notion of poetry in silence... Thoughts, maybe? Emotion? An idea that "silence" is like poetry in that a silence cannot exist between two people without thoughts and emotion, which are the cornerstones of poetry?
What do you guys think?
Huh... "This is not silence/this is another poem", that reminds me of 4′33″ - a piece that is composed entirely of silence, but is still considered a piece of music. I wonder if it's some kind of reflection of how people always feel the need to attribute some kind of meaning or intention to things even when there is none; even if the poet was silent, the person being addressed in the poem would assume that he is trying to express something with the silence. Your interpretation is certainly interesting.
ReplyDeleteIagree, sometimes poetry can be silence. I had the privilege of seeing Leonard live around 2008 the best show I was ever at. rip Leonard
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