Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

"You look around and you see a world that cannot be made sense of. You either raise your fist or you say hallelujah. I try to do both." Both, simultaneously! So Cohen's song "Hallelujah" arises from the same place as the poem "Thanks" by W. S. Merwin. The raised fist is the easy part.

This requires an almost incomprehensible level of compassion and appreciation. It's beyond emotion, mood, attitude. It's not a product of mind or will. Perhaps it only arrives with age, when mind and will are starting to appreciate their limits.

Back in the old days, I had thought Leonard Cohen was just one more phony. Or as we would say now: the songs, the voice, the attire: it's just performative, just brand-building. Well, I was wrong.