Leonard Cohen - Marita; This is my voice; The only poem (Spoken poem)

I got it from Leonard Cohen "Master Poems" which you can download from http://musicforhumans1.blogspot.com

Marita (Selected Poems)

MARITA
PLEASE FIND ME
I AM ALMOST 30.

MARITA
POR FAVOR ENCUÉNTRAME
VOY A CUMPLIR 30.

*******

This is my voice
but I am only whispering
The amazing vulgarity
of your style
invites men to think
of torturing you to death
but I am only whispering
The ocean is whispering
The junk-yard is whispering
We no longer wish to learn
what you know how to do
There is no envy left
If you understood this
you would begin to shiver
but I am only whispering
to my tomahawk
so that the image itself
may reduce you to scorn
and weaken you further

Esta es mi voz
pero yo sólo estoy murmurando
La increíble vulgaridad
de tu estilo
invita a los hombres a pensar
en torturarte hasta la muerte
pero yo sólo estoy murmurando
El océano está murmurando
El vertedero está murmurando
Hemos dejado de desear aprender
lo que sabes hacer
no queda más envidia
Si hubieses entendido esto
comenzarías a temblar
pero yo sólo estoy murmurando
a mi tomahawk
para que la imagen en sí misma
pueda reducirte a un mero desdén
y debilitarte aún más

*******

This is the only poem...

This is the only poem
I can read
I am the only one
can write it

I didn't kill myself
when things went wrong
I didn't turn
to drugs or teaching
I tried to sleep
but when I couldn't sleep
I learned to write
I learned to write
what might be read
on nights like this
by one like me

Este es el único poema...

Este es el único poema
que puedo leer
soy el único
que puede escribirlo

No me quité la vida
cuando las cosas iban mal
no me volqué
a las drogas ni a enseñar
intenté dormir
pero cuando no pude dormir
aprendí a escribir
aprendí a escribir
lo que podría ser leído
en noches como ésta
por alguien como yo

Category:

Music

Tags:

• leonard
• cohen
• marita
• voice
• spoken
• poem
• poetry
• recording
• poesia
• poema

[natales]

How would you read, explain or interpretate the "Marita" verses?

[jolangjolang]

@natales Do you know when this was recorded? Marita - the note to her - was left on a wall in 1964 - over 45 years ago. The poem doesn't fit - unless he's using "marita" to fill in for the person he feels left him so many years ago - someone we have never gotten to know...

[natales]

@jolangjolang I don't know when the recording was made, but if is useful to you, try to search for the interview Malka with Leonard Cohen, it begins with a question about Marita.

[jolangjolang]

Edith's wiggling for torture details - J. wants IChing with a thousand kisses - F. says it's all diamonds - Marita's laughing.

[jolangjolang]

@natales The Malka interview was the second best interview with Cohen - maybe the best. It doesn't answer my question about Marita - but who could be disappointed when this is offered ...

Cohen: I mean sometimes I'm in a state of war with a woman and Sometimes there's a truce. Sometimes it feels that there never was a war. And sometimes there never was a truce.

M: What do you mean by war?

C: Fight to the death.

[jolangjolang]

@natales This is so "un"Cohen. It reads like a threat - it's sadistic... and as usual - someone erotic.

[POLE707]

What is my impression? He is the hypnotist, whether he sings, recites or being interviewed for TV. The magical power of Leonard Cohen is his amazing voice above all.

Even when he whispers.