Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
— Leonard Cohen, Anthem
You can read the remaining lyrics here.
You can read the remaining lyrics here.
In honor of recently departed Leonard Cohen, a songsmith, wordsmith and inspiration, I wrote a previous poem and this new poem, retyped below because screen readers for the visually-impaired cannot read words inserted in jpegs:
Shine Like Leonard Cohen
Find the words
everyone knows
but sing them deeper
where fear goes
sing them deeper
where hope hides
sing them deeper
where light flows.
everyone knows
but sing them deeper
where fear goes
sing them deeper
where hope hides
sing them deeper
where light flows.
Copyright 2016 Brenda Davis Harsham
Welcome to Poetry Friday! I’m happy and honored to host Poetry Friday this week for the first time. If you’ve participated before, you know what to do. If you haven’t, you can click the blue box and add a link to your blog of an original poem, a favorite poem or a review of poetry. Or leave your link in the comments.
74 thoughts on “The Light and Poetry Friday”
Comments welcome!
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Friendly Fairy Tales 
Such a beautiful tribute to Leonard Cohen!!
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Thank you!
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Oh, I like this, Brenda! I especially enjoy the rhythm of the repetition “sing them deeper/where hope hides.” Nice!
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Thanks, Theresa. I don’t use repetition often, so I’m relieved it worked here. Thanks for commenting.
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Reblogged this on Queen's end and commented:
Brenda! Thank you for this lovely tribute to a Canadian star!
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Canada is a great place with awesome ideas. XOXO
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Lovely piece.
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Thank you!
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
SOME “LIGHT” FARE? PERHAPS?
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LOL Maybe some deLIGHTful fairy. 🙂
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Makes sense…your stuff is ALWAYS DELIGHTFUL!!!
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Aww, shucks! Have a great night!
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I can now….!
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Fabulous! Am I allowed to reblog this on my writing blog?
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Sure, Resa. XOXO
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Marvelous poem! 🌹
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Thanks, Dorna. I always like roses. 🙂
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Awesome…
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Thank you!
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So beautiful… great tribute. he´ll be missed… By the way, I love this song by him http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp7o0k_leonard-cohen-the-partisan-paroles-trad-f_music I cried when I first listened to it!. Hugs, dear Brenda. …;)
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He finds our deepest places, doesn’t he? And he uses the words we all do.
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I am so so late to the party! But I’m happy to have been able to sneak in. I am going to poke about a bit as I sit and wait for this cold to be gone. I have 12 coming for Thanksgiving. I cannot be ill.
Thank you for hosting and thanks for the beautiful tribute to Cohen today.
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Oh, no! I’ve been ill and threw out my back, so I understand just how you feel. Hugs and feel better!
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Your beautiful poem is exactly what I needed to read this evening! Poetry and music helps keep hope and light in our hearts. Thank you for hosting!
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I’m so happy you liked my poem. Poetry and music is a good recipe for any evening. 🙂
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I haven’t posted to PF in awhile, but I love coming here to be inspired each week. What a gift you’ve given us this week with your poem!
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Why, thank you! I love PF, it’s been a great addition to my life.
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Brenda,
Your poem is beautiful. Thanks for sharing your words and sharing light! And thanks for hosting 🙂
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My pleasure, Penny, and thanks.
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I love the light! Thank you for hosting today, Brenda! What an inspiration of hope for the coming weeks.
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We can all help make the world a better place. XOXO
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Yes, so many places in which we need light flowing! Thanks for hosting, Brenda.
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Thanks for joining in, Karen. I look forward to visiting everyone over the next day or two.
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Thanks for hosting, Brenda, and for reminding us about the power creativity has to seek out the light and share it with others.
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We can make it shine for the future, too, as clever people before us have shown. The world may be dark at times, but the light finds us.
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“but sing them deeper
where fear goes”
May we all find the courage to sing deeply through our fear. Thank you for this important reminder and encouragement. And thank you, too, for hosting today’s roundup. xx
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Thanks, Amy. I find community helps me sing past the fear. I’m happy to host today.
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Thank you, Brenda, for being the light in the darkness of this new world. And for hosting! Cohen’s words and legacy is more important now than ever. =)
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Wow, I don’t see myself as the light, but rather as a seeker of it. What a wonderful comment you’ve given me. 🙂
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Your poem touches on so much of what has happened recently…thanks for sharing, and for hosting as well!
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Thanks, Matt. I had intended to write a Happy Thanksgiving post, but this one just elbowed its way out. I look forward to stopping by in the morning.
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Home, home on the web, where the words and wee fairies play.
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Thank you for and welcome to hosting, Brenda. It’s a pleasure to do so, and I hope you enjoy it too. I love the way Leonard Cohen’s words inspired your own beautifully inspiring words, those “sing them deeper” lines need to be heard!
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Thanks, Linda, and I’m glad you came by. Happy Thanksgiving! I had planned to write a post about that, but this came instead. Like a postcard from my subconscious.
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Thank you for hosting today, Brenda! It can be quite the whirlwind, but definitely energizing. And thank you for your Leonard Cohen tribute, as well. Your poem shines with his memory.
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It’s quite a week here at my house. Two kids in two plays at different schools. I threw out my back after coughing up my lungs for 8 days and we have a dumpster here for a household clean-out. But the best part will be hosting Poetry Friday. I’m already enjoying it, and it’s half an hour until it’s Friday. 🙂
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Yegads! Hang in there!
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I think we’re all missing Leonard Cohen – the world seems a little less bright when someone like this passes, though your poem reminds us that we can all help spread the light.
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Hi Jane, The world was brighter when he was in it, you’re right. We have to shine all the brighter to make up for one light dimming. Thanks for coming by.
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Brenda, thank you for this shiny poem! I am a huge Leonard Cohen fan… “Take This Waltz” may be my favorite ever. Hard to say. Not only did he have that voice, but he was a pretty amazing poet/lyricist. I think he would have loved your poem, as I do. Thank you for hosting!
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Thanks, Irene. I might have to buy his new album. Imagine, putting out a new album in your 80s. What vibrancy he had.
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Gorgeous poem, Brenda. I feel this way about our country right now, we have to sing out, sing deep and see where the light flows in.
I’ve got a bookshelf post today, pairing the new picture book THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS with an old poem by Stevie Smith, “The Frog Prince.”
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Thanks, Laura. Your post sounds great. I’ll look forward to stopping by in the morning.
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Lovely, Brenda. And thanks for making me aware of the limitations of screen readers. I didn’t know.
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Hi Diane, I have a friend who uses a screen reader, and it’s a blessing to her to be able to rest her weary eyes and let the screen reader do the work. Otherwise, she has to use a microscopic lens, etc. The world isn’t easy to the differently-abled.
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what a wonderful tribute from one very talented writer to another.
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Thanks, Beth. You are a light in my life.
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I love your tribute to Leonard Cohen. I have only just discovered your challenge and written a response. It rambles all over the place but I hope it goes somewhere near your challenge intentions.
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I would love to see it. Did you link up? Will you be linking up?
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Brenda, thanks so much for hosting today! I really appreciated your lovely poem and tribute to Leonard Cohen.
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I’m so glad you did, and my pleasure to host. I’ve been the delighted recipient of many fun Friday poetry parties. It was time to throw my own! 🙂 Salsa and chips, anyone?
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Brenda, the poem is strikingly beautiful. I’m so impressed with how Poetry Friday contributors respond to our world. This contribution really touches me. I haven’t ever been in tune with Leonard Cohen…..but, the coverage of his death and what he’s brought to our world has been enlightening. I want to learn more. I love how you have honored him. From what I’ve learned I think he would be pleased. Thanks so much for being the LIGHT. And, thank you for hosting Poetry Friday.
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Hi Linda, what lovely words for me to treasure. I have been moved by many PF posts, too. I like to think he might have been pleased. His words have made the world a better place. XOXO
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Thank you for hosting Brenda and thank you for reminding us of the great words of Leonard Cohen. Your own special words compliment the tribute.
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Brenda, thank you for being host and thank you for paying homage to Leonard Cohen in such a thoughtful way. With Cohen’s words inspiring your own -such a fitting tribute.
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Thanks, Alan and welcome. He was a great writing of moving words.
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Thank you for the inspiring poem honoring Leonard Cohen. We have lost so many talented people this year! You are a light, Brenda. Thanks for hosting this week.
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Thanks for your delightful and inspiring post about your dad, Jama. XOXO
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Welcome to the Host side of the table, Brenda! Thanks for rounding up, and for your lovely tribute. I heard just this week about a very established children’s poet whose mentor in the early early days was Leonard Cohen. Thanks for sharing your own words, and his – light through the cracks is always welcome.
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Thanks, Robyn. What an honor to have had Leonard Cohen as a mentor. Light is always welcome, however it arrives. 🙂 Even via LED fairy lights. 🙂
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