The Grocer Of Despair Poem by michael spangenberg

He saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch
Said to him, you must not ask for so much
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door
She cried to him, hey, why not ask for more?
Oh, like an eagle or a vulture on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.

Leonard Cohen's songs prompted him
To be dubbed godfather of gloom
Or poet laureate of pessimism
- Suicidal songs to slit your wrists to.

But he was hailed for his intelligence, humility
Curiosity and generosity, donating unpublished
Poems, poems-in-progress, drawings to a fan
Website where it could be enjoyed by followers.

When not manic-depressive, high-or-drunk
Cohen had a fantastic wry sense
Of LSD-humor, and loved to crack jokes.

Not averse to poking fun at himself:
Sometimes, I stumble out of bed
look at myself in the mirror and say
to the mirror, 'Lighten up, Cohen'
he said to the audience's laughter.

Footnote - Credit where credit's due:
Leonard Cohen, Bird on a Wire (1967)