No title – Willy Mulderij

Ah but who is it climbs to your picture // With a garland of freshly cut tears

 

The lyrics of this song, and especially the two lines above, gave me a better understanding of poetry, I believe. Poems rarely make me vibrate, I can’t get the meaning, never understand what the poet tries to tell. Now it seems to me that poetry should be read differently compared to prose, a novel for instance. It’s not only what the poet says/writes, it’s what the listener/reader hears/reads.
Like the music of JS Bach for example. If you’re not a music expert, you may not be aware of many details. But the beauty of the music is accessible for everybody.

Cohen’s translation into English of Lorca’s poem is gorgeous. And the music fits it so well.

Ik hoorde dit lied voor het eerst in 1979 als ik me goed herinner. Het is me altijd bijgebleven en ik heb het 40 jaar meegedragen in m’n hoofd. En de wens gekoesterd het ooit nog eens zelf te spelen en zingen. Die wens is nu in vervulling gegaan, bijna 40 jaar later.

Chelsea Hotel