Like a Bird On a Wire

Leonard Cohen's concert was nothing less than amazing.  I feel truly previledged that I got to see this amazing poet and musician perform.  From the moment he walked on stage, Mr Cohen exhuded a graciousness I have never seen before in a performer.  He was polite and kind and as humble as a 76 year old celebrated poet and singer can be.  He walked on the stage at 8:05pm with an amazing entourage of musicians and singers and they didn't stop until 11:30pm!

His voice (Listen!), is an amazing deep baritone.  The songs they played were often very similar to the recorded versions but they were far from boring.  Every note sung and played was deeper and fuller than I've ever heard on any of his albums.  He brought life to the music and the music to life with his voice and stage presence.  It brought tears to my eyes when he, so genuinely, thanked the audience for having him back to Victoria.  And how grateful he seemed to be creating music with the other artists that graced the stage.  I spent a lot of the concert wondering what it would be like to meet him.  How many stories he must have.

I've been to a few amazing concerts in the last couple years.  I think Leonard Cohen has come out on top.

Like a Bird on a Wire

Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free

Like a worm on a hook
Like a knight from some old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee

If I, if I have been unkind
I hope that you can just let it go by
If I, if I have been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you

Oh, like a baby, stillborn
Like a beast with his horn
I have torn everyone who reached out for me

But I swear by this song
And by all that I have done wrong
I will make it all up to thee

I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch
He said to me, "You must not ask for so much"
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door
She cried to me, "Hey, why not ask for more?"

Oh, like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free

Anthem

"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in."  

- Leonard Cohen, Anthem

My mum is very adept at placing lyrics to life experiences.  She pointed this lyric out to me this morning and that it relates to yoga.

I see these lines as an invocation to allow yourself to practice yoga.

Take what you have - all that you have - and embrace it without worrying about lack of perfection or faults.  You will find that you can break through whatever is holding you back and the light will shine for you - feed you.