A memory trigger

There’s clusters of orange day lilies growing along roadsides all over our county, at least the parts I drive most often. The other afternoon I noticed one cluster that suddenly put me in mind of some of the lyrics of one of my all time most favorite songs ever, Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne. If you’re not familiar with it, or Cohen’s other work, you’re missing something truly wonderful.

They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever...

Photo by J. Harrington

Tomorrow I plan to share a picture of a haloed pine tree, taken shortly after one of our recent downpours. For today, enjoy what you can, when you can, with whom you can. Be kind when you can, to whom you can, including yourself.

Suzanne

by Leonard Cohen

Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night beside her
And you know that she's half crazy
But that's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her

That you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover

And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind

And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching
From his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said, "All the men will be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them"

But he himself was broken
Long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone

And you want to travel with him
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind

Now Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She is wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbor
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers

There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever while Suzanne holds the mirror

And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind

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Please be kind to each other while you can.