Leonard Cohen – “If there were no paintings” (2007)

August 30, 2008 at 8:22 pm (Leonard Cohen, Poetry & Literature)

If there were no paintings in the world,
Mine would be very important
Same with the songs
Since this is not the case, let us make haste to get in line,
Well towards the back
Sometimes I would see a woman in a magazine
Humiliated in the technicolour glare
I would try to establish her
In happier circumstances
Sometimes a man
Sometimes living persons sat for me
May I say to them again:
Thank you for coming to my room
I also loved the objects on the table
Such as candlesticks and ashtrays
And the table itself
From a mirror on my desk
In the very early morning
I copied down
Hundreds of self-portraits
Which reminded me of one thing or another
The Curator has called this exhibition
Drawn to Words
I call my work
Acceptable Decorations.