In the year 2016,
Yom Kippur was celebrated on Oct. 12th.
Leonard Cohen passed away on November 7th.
~~~
faint knocking heard at the heavenly door of the Tower of Song
the ministering angels, hearing a rhythmic,
lyrical rapping, sigh, thinking the atonement day,
the holiday/holy days, are supposedly over,
the human balancing act, the rush to judgement period,
all tallies totaled, the busy sale season for souls,
at last completed, each fate inscribed & sealed,
in the book of life^
but, always one,
the itinerant straggler, the last reluctant sinner,
a judgment resister, flaunting an almost expired coupon,
trumpeting demands for a recount, waving it,
claiming it, the bearer, entitled to a
mercy discount and an extra 30 days
"who shall we say is calling?"
the Angels are stunned to hear the responsa,
a familiar raspy, growling, almost indescribable,
yet, stammeringly beautiful voice enchanting,
equally asking and answering, (how both?)
with a strident humility, "a man in search of answers"
this voice, instantaneous recognizable,
the asking superfluous,
all beating wings now, all in vast excitement,
this psalmist, long awaited, one of His best,
a chosen one, a courtly singer in the Temple of his people,
blessed with the curse of seeing and believing,
the comprehension of beauty of the human superior interior,
never being quiet or quite satisfied,
in capturing, its multifarious variations,
in every language spoken
this is the man who took ten years
to compose just
one song,
one poem,
one word,
Hallelujah,
whose faith was strong,
but still needed proofs,
whose every breath of oxygen inhalation,
brought more questions,
every exhalation, only releasing partial answers,
and yet, still, yes, yes! finding hidden verses inside
a simple, everlasting
hallelujah
the hubbub subsides,
the man sings~speaks:
how came I here,
was I one, who by fire?
that fire afeared, that my finality
was spirit consumed?
in one voice, answers the angelic choir,
in one voice, the swaying back-up singers answer,
not by fire, not by water, not by stoning
or even drowning,
in tea that came from all the way from China
when sing we Angels,
the Judgement Day poem,
we alone, on high and above,
we, keepers of the books
and records of everyone,
are permitted this special query:
Who by Sufficiency?
you, the sidekick of the creator,
special commissioned by him, anointed to live a life of research,
record in word and song the mysteries of musical gene strings,
that intertwine the skin cells of man and woman,
man and his fellow us-human,
your soul commandeered, ordered, to delve deeper,
into the consolable chasm tween divine and mortals,
all those who are so poorly but perfectly constructed
in his image
you, who has earned his place, his best rest,
his works adjudged sufficient,
you, who best answered
this judging,
this calling out,
this calling in
incantation
Who by Sufficiency?
now forward on, write only of answers,
wade in the troubled waters no more,
no more passports, or borders to cross,
no more measuring the days,
the last road trip finale
finished & feted,
fate meted
no more changing thy name, changeling priest,^^
sing songs of solution, salvation,
for the questioning hours of confusion,
the urgency of revolution,
no longer need a hallelujah resolution,
you have been judged sufficient...
it is his will
| | |
Who By Fire Who By Fire, Who By Water:^
(lyrics by Leonard Cohen) (A Yom Kippur Hebrew Prayer)
who by fire How many shall die and
who by water, how many shall born,
Who in the sunshine, Who shall live
who in the night time, who shall die,
Who by high Who at the measure of days,
who by common trial, and who before,
Who in your merry
Who by fire
month of May, and who by water
Who by very Who by sword,
slow decay, and who by wild beasts,
And who shall I Who by hunger,
say is calling? and who by thirst,
And who in her, Who by earthquake
lonely slip, and who by plague
who by barbiturate, Who by strangling,
Who in these and who by stoning
realms of love, Who shall have rest,
who by, and who shall go wandering,
something blunt, Who will be tranquil,
And who by avalanche, and who shall be harassed,
who by powder, Who shall be at ease,
Who for his greed, and who shall be afflicted,
who for his hunger, Who shall become rich,
And who shall I, and who shall become poor,
say is calling? Who will be raised high,
and who will be brought low
And who by brave assent,
who by accident,
Who in solitude,
who in this mirror,
Who by,
his lady's command,
who by his own hand,
Who in mortal chains,
who in power,
And who shall I,
say is calling?
^From the liturgy of Rosh Hasanah, the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, there is this truly stunning prayer (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unetanneh_Tokef) in the Jewish liturgy. The Book of Life contents the fate of every sinner. From the first day of the new year, until ten days later, on Yom Kippur, depending on whether the sinner repents or not, his fate is sealed.
https://hellopoetry.com/poem/1833523/for-leonard-cohen-who-by-fire/this first version first published Jan. 2017
^^"A Kohens ancestors were priests in the Temple of Jerusalem. A single such priest was known as a Kohen, and the hereditary caste descending from these priests is collectively known as the Kohanim.[2] As multiple languages were acquired through the Jewish diaspora, the surname acquired many variations." Today, with no temple, the limited role of the Kohanim is to bless the Jewish people on the high holy days with a special prayer with abeloved tune, instantly evocative (see wikipedia.org/wiki/Priestly_Blessing) The Kohanim are still revered, honored, and always called up first to the Sabbath reading of the weekly portion of the Old Testament
A thank you to Bex for proofing and encouragement.
Part I of a trilogy
For a more detailed analysis of the roots of the song, "Who By Fire," and its origins, see:
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http://www.leonardcohen-prologues.com/who_by_fire.htm
He worked on the song Hallelujah, arguably his most famous composition, for ten years.