A review by kojali
The Flame: Poems Notebooks Lyrics Drawings by Leonard Cohen

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

3.5

I am not well-versed enough in poetry to know how to write a solid review. But I can say - with some hesitation - that this was my very first introduction to the legendary Leonard Cohen. I am of that weird generation that grew up in the later years of Cohen's legacy, so I was never exposed to, nor sought out, his work until now. I was gifted this volume, told that this is the stuff of a 'real artist.' The aura I gleaned from this book is one of love and despair, two emotions that are not often weaved together in contemporary poetry, and not nearly as masterful as Cohen has done here. Upon completion, I felt like I knew Cohen, and what a great gift to have. While, inevitably, I didn't love every single piece in here, there are several sentiments that have been rattling around in my brain ever since I first read them.

The story's been written.
The letter's been sealed.
You gave me a lily,
but now it's a field.