Democracy Is Coming--Leonard Cohen

[ubaru]

Leonard Cohen, more widely known as a musician, shows off his skill as a poet and a spoken-word artist with his poem "Democracy."

From The United States of Poetry episode "The American Dream."

Copyright Washington Square Arts, 1995.

It's coming through a hole in the air,
from those nights in Tiananmen Square.
It's coming from the feel
that it ain't exactly real,
or it's real, but it ain't exactly there.
From the wars against disorder,
from the sirens night and day;
from the fires of the homeless,
from the ashes of the gay:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

It's coming through a crack in the wall,
on a visionary flood of alcohol;
from the staggering account
of the Sermon on the Mount
which I don't pretend to understand at all.
It's coming from the silence
on the dock of the bay,
from the brave, the bold, the battered
heart of Chevrolet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

It's coming from the sorrow on the street,
the holy places where the races meet;
from the homicidal bitchin'
that goes down in every kitchen
to determine who will serve and who will eat.
From the wells of disappointment
where the women kneel to pray
for the grace of G d in the desert here
and desert far away:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

It's coming to America first,
the cradle of the best and of the worst.
It's here they got the range
and the machinery for change
and it's here they got the spiritual thirst.
It's here the family's broken
and it's here the lonely say
that the heart has got to open
in a fundamental way:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

Sail on, sail on
o mighty Ship of State!
To the Shores of Need
past the Reefs of Greed
through the Squalls of Hate
Sail on, sail on


I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean:
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

[sd gross]

Hi

Great song and a timely message.
I play it with some regularity on my KGGV radio show ("The Mystery Train") right between Neil Young's "Looking for a Leader" and Jimmy LaFave's "Worn Out American Dream" (lyrics below)
https://www.myspace.com/lafavejimmy/...dream-59149194

I see no refuge for the weary
I see no handouts for the poor
I see no sense of satisfaction
On all the ones who just endure
All the slings and arrows slandered
Against the face of the poor man’s dream
Where the rich circle in like vultures
Picking all their pockets clean
Don’t you give me your phony smile
Don’t you tell me no more rules
How many people will you trample down
Before you’re finally through?
Come on face the situation
All the sadness that it brings
Got me lost inside the shuffle of
A worn out American dream Give me no more TV preachers
Give me no more racist attitudes
Politicians, politicians, I’ve got nothing left for you
I’m within my global vision
You see, my feelings are my own
The Good Book says the days are numbered
So I’m turning towards my home
Take away your evil money
I won’t join in your game
To myself I will be true
To myself I will remain
Come on face your situation
It’s just as desperate as it seems
You got us lost inside the shuffle of
Your worn out American dream
I see no refuge for the weary
I see no handouts for the poor
I see no sense of satisfaction
On all the ones who must endure
All the slings and arrows slandered
Against the face of the poor man’s dream
All the rich circle in like vultures
Picking every pocket clean
Don’t you give me your phony smile
Don’t you tell me one more rule
How many lambs must you slaughter
Before you’re finally through?
Come on, face the situation
And all the sadness that it brings
You’ve got us lost inside the shuffle of
Your worn out American dream
You’ve got me caught up in the madness of
Your worn out American dream
You’ve got me lost inside the sadness of
Your worn out American dream