Villanelle For Our Time
Leonard Cohen · Complete Studio Albums Collection [2011]
Quickened with passion and with pain
We rise to play a greater part.
This is the faith from which we start:
Men shall know commonwealth again
From bitter searching of the heart.
We loved the easy and the smart,
But now, with keener hand and brain,
We rise to play a greater part.
The lesser loyalties depart,
And neither race nor creed remain
From bitter searching of the heart.
Not steering by the venal chart
That tricked the mass for private gain,
We rise to play a greater part.
Reshaping narrow law and art
Whose symbols are the millions slain,
From bitter searching of the heart
We rise to play a greater part.
Villanelle For Our Time
Leonard Cohen's "Villanelle For Our Time" stands as a poignant addition to his expansive discography, reflecting the poet's signature blend of spiritual introspection and social commentary. Recorded within the context of his later studio work, the track exemplifies Cohen's mastery of the villanelle form, a structure he adapted to address contemporary anxieties while maintaining his characteristic poetic cadence. The song serves as a testament to his ability to weave personal narrative with universal themes, characteristic of his final recorded period. It complements other significant works from this era, reinforcing his legacy as a musician who consistently challenged listeners to confront the complexities of the human condition through music.