A literatura não tem que estar confinada nem rotulada. Os grandes temas são afinal aqueles que nos fazem estalar o coração, sejam eles as liberdades colectivas ou o mais puro e egoísta sentimento de paixão e posse. Leonard Cohen é mais um exemplo de que um escritor pode ser cantor e músico, tal como um músico como Bob Dylan pode ser cantor e escritor.
Leonard Cohen atravessou gerações e as suas canções são poemas com melodias intemporais. Não sei se canta se declama, mas também não me interessa nem importa. Quem assim viveu é como se fosse quase imortal, porque continua a fazer-nos companhia, a seduzir-nos e a ensinar-nos o mundo.
Leonard Cohen
Steer your way through the ruins
Of the altar and the mall
Steer your way through the fables
Of creation and the fall
Steer your way past the palaces
That rise above the rot
Year by year
Month by month
Day by day
Thought by thought
Steer your heart past the truth
You believed in yesterday
Such as fundamental goodness
And the wisdom of the way
Steer your heart, precious heart
Past the women whom you bought
Year by year
Month by month
Day by day
Thought by thought
Steer your path through the pain
That is far more real than you
That smashed the cosmic model
That blinded every view
And please don’t make me go there
Tho’ there be a god or not
Year by year
Month by month
Day by day
Thought by thought
They whisper still, the ancient stones
The blunted mountains weep
As he died to make men holy
Let us die to make things cheap
And say the Mea Culpa which you’ve probably forgot
Year by year
Month by month
Day by day
Thought by thought
Steer your way, o my heart
Tho’ I have no right to ask
To the one who was never
Never equal to the task
Who knows he’s been convicted
Who knows he will be shot
Year by year
Month by month
Day by day
Thought by thought
They whisper still, the ancient stones
The blunted mountains weep
As he died to make men holy
Let us die to make things cheap
And say the Mea Culpa which you gradually forgot
Year by year
Month by month
Day by day
Thought by thought
