Everyman's Library Leonard Cohen Poems

One of the losses in 2016 was the death of Leonard Cohen, although he did reach a good age and was productive to the end with the release of "You want it darker". A set of songs that face death with courage, wit and great insight. In the same year Robert Zimmerman was made a noble prize laureate it is a an opportunity to reconsider was Mr Cohen firstly a poet and secondly a musician. The Everyman's pocket library holds the answer. Yes, his music was good but it is his words which carry his wry spirit. Those of us who first heard Mr Cohen in the early seventies would dissolve into an angst flavoured puddle of misery by droning Suzanne would take you down to the river and feed you oranges and billy tea. And I must confess, I lost interest in him after the magnificent "Songs of Love and Hate". Which was my loss as he went on to craft so many other great pieces of wordsmith-most of which are held within these 243 pages. I look forward to the twenty volume of the collected works of Mr Leonard Cohen, the letters, etc published by Faber. No, he seemed to have been a fan of the wastebasket for creations not good enough to his critical eye. Here in the Everyman you will find the words to all the well known 'songs' and many others which are a delight to revisit such as the poignant "Dance me to the End of the World" and the caustic "Queen Victoria and Me" from the under-rated "live songs'. A dip into book that is beautiful, humorous, moving and insightful. Vale poet Cohen.

So I purchased this book of poems in january 2014. Some of them are lyrics for some of the songs in the collection 'the Essential Leonard Cohen' that I bought previously. But I find when reading the poems I do not read them a if they are words set to music but as poems that are perfect in their own right. There are also poems that are not the lyrics of songs. All wonderfully profound and enriching. What a wonderful talent. Rest in peace- you have given us so very very much.

Beautiful pocket size hardback book, containing the poetic genius of Leonard Cohen. Reading some of the lyrics of his classic songs as poetry, i.e. trying not to sing as you read, brings a whole new dimension to his work. A book to dip into time and time again.

Purchased for my grandson. He was overjoyed with the book as it was easy to carry around.

An excellently sized, yet well stocked compendium of Lyrics and Poems from the Master. Much better that the Stranger Music book from 1993 in size as well as being updated to included the newer songs. It also doesn't have as much white around the text! This is an excellent purchase which I will enjoy reading again and again.