Reflecting on Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah”
Oh, Cohen, when you poem-ised your heartache
To glorify men handsome, fearless, strong
Diminishing their own heroic soundtracks,
Unwilling victims of their chosen wrong:
The chords that tie the painful words together
Jog memories of dis-ease long past,
And tighten like a noose we cannot sever,
Indicting women blamed for being fast.
Your plaintive music tears into our heart-song
And histories well up with deep regret,
Now shift to self-defence and blame awrong—
The victims of the selfish, lustful net.
A broken hallelujah’s cold mistrust:
The song of those who treat their victims thus.
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