Monday's Poetry: "Hallelujah"

by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator

Last week witnessed the death of Canadian songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen, a man who while prolific at his craft, remains best known for one song, "Hallelujah," a massive hit that has been revised, re-interpreted, re-envisioned, and covered by countless artists.  Cohen, in fact, reportedly penned over eighty verses to the work when he first composed it back during the early 1980's.

This past weekend comedienne Kate McKinnon, sang the song, at the piano, for the opening segment of Saturday Night Live.  Her performance, in the character of Hillary Clinton after she had just lost the election, left many in the show's live audience with tears in their eyes.

I have two versions of "Halleujah" on my iPod rotating among thousands of other songs.  One version is by the song's composer, Leonard Cohen, and the other by Il Divo.  Whenever either version begins to play, I stop what I am doing to listen.  It is a powerful and enthralling piece of music, one that can be adapted to fit a range of emotions and circumstances.

Here then is "Hallelujah."


Hallelujah
by Leonard Cohen

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew her
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah