Wanting
.
e
y
e
s
.
hoping
.
a
l
l
.
the
while,
.
.
f
o
r
.
.
the
warmth
.
w
h
i
c
h
.
never
came . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
never
came . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
never
came . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
never
came . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
it
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
.
.
.
I
was
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
t
o
.
blame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
looked
.
a
t
.
you
in
.
t
h
e
.
cafe
aisle
.
w
i
t
h
.
love
.
i
n
.
my
smile . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ I
looked
.
a
t
.
you . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
i
t
h
–
–
–
love
.
i
n
.
my
smile . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
looked
.
a
t
.
you . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
looked
.
a
t
.
you . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
looked
.
a
t
.
you . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
stayed
behind
.
t
o
.
write
.
a
.
bright,
.
romantic
rhyme . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
designed
.
t
o
.
withstand
.
t
h
e
.
twisting,
.
turbulent
tides
.
o
f
.
time . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ I
stayed
behind
.
t
o
.
write
.
a
.
bright,
.
romantic
rhyme . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
designed
.
t
o
.
withstand
.
t
h
e
.
twisting,
.
turbulent
tides
.
o
f
.
time . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
.
.
.
I
.
g
a
v
e
.
away
all
.
o
f
.
those
lover
lines
.
t
o
.
warming
wines
.
o
f
.
wayward
delight . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ I
.
g
a
v
e
.
away
all
.
o
f
.
those
lover
lines
.
t
o
.
warming
wines
.
o
f
.
wayward
delight . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
night,
–
–
after
night,
–
–
after
night,
–
–
after
night . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
seems
.
f
a
r
.
too
easy
.
t
o
.
trade
.
t
h
e
.
currencies
.
t
h
a
t
.
make
.
u
s
.
free . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
prisons
.
o
f
.
possibility . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
trade
.
t
h
e
.
currencies
.
t
h
a
t
.
make
.
u
s
.
free . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
prisons
.
o
f
.
possibility . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
ever
drawn
.
t
o
.
fairy
.
t
a
l
e
.
dreams
.
a
n
d
.
temptation
machines
.
w
h
i
c
h
.
tease
.
a
n
d
.
appease . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
appease
.
a
n
d
.
tease . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
tease
.
a
n
d
.
appease . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
appease
.
a
n
d
.
tease . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
tease
.
a
n
d
.
appease . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
appease
.
a
n
d
.
tease . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
t
h
o
s
e
–
–
–
prisons
.
o
f
.
possibility . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
t
h
o
s
e
–
–
–
fairy
.
t
a
l
e
.
dreams . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
t
h
o
s
e
–
–
–
temptation
machines . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
the
rollaway
scenes
.
w
h
i
c
h
.
always
.
d
r
a
w
.
near,
.
.
a
r
e
.
.
never
.
w
i
t
h
i
n
.
reach . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
always
.
d
r
a
w
.
near . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
are
never
.
w
i
t
h
i
n
.
reach . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
always
.
d
r
a
w
.
near . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
are
never
.
w
i
t
h
i
n
.
reach . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
when
.
t
h
e
.
urges
roar,
.
.
w
e
.
.
always
.
w
a
n
t
.
more . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
always
.
w
a
n
t
.
more . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
always
.
w
a
n
t
.
more . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
always
.
w
a
n
t
.
more . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
the
urges
roar . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
the
carnival
fires
.
o
f
.
breathless
desire . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
turn
.
t
h
e
.
burning
wheels
.
o
f
.
casino
streams
.
a
n
d
.
temptation
machines . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
turn . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
turn . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
turn . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
turn . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ the
burning
wheels
.
o
f
.
casino
streams
.
a
n
d
.
temptation
machines . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
no
.
p
a
l
e
.
romantic
candle
.
f
r
o
m
.
a
cafe
stay,
.
.
c
a
n
.
.
ever
compete
.
w
i
t
h
.
the
brilliance
.
o
f
.
that
blaze . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ it
.
c
a
n
.
never
compete
.
w
i
t
h
.
the
brilliance
.
o
f
.
that
blaze . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
it
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
.
.
.
I
.
g
a
v
e
.
away
all
.
o
f
.
those
lover
lines
.
t
o
.
warming
wines
.
o
f
.
wayward
delight . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ I
.
g
a
v
e
.
away
all
.
o
f
.
those
lover
lines
.
t
o
.
warming
wines
.
o
f
.
wayward
delight . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
night,
–
–
after
night,
–
–
after
night,
–
–
after
night . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
it
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
It
haunts
.
m
e
.
to
.
t
h
i
s
.
day . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
.
.
.
I
was
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
t
o
.
blame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
Yes,
.
I
was
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
t
o
.
blame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
was
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
t
o
.
blame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
was
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
t
o
.
blame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ I
was
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
t
o
.
blame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
the
warmth
.
w
h
i
c
h
.
never
came.
Reflection: This is a personal struggle-themed poem where the affected party mourns a past romance. In the beginning of the poem, the person of desire is the one who becomes affected by the warmth which never came, but in the end we find it is the affected party – the romancer – who imprisons himself in the warmth which never came after many, many pursuits and possibilities – and we get the feeling this warmth will continue to be elusive for many years to come (if not lifelong). The poem reflects a very sad, but true story that so many people struggle with throughout their romantic lives. The world is filled with temptations that frequently obstruct the warming relationships we might otherwise develop and solidify over time: alcohol, sex, drugs, gambling, work, fame, money, and countless other pursuits which consume attention, energy, and time for so much of our lives.
This poem came into being when I recently heard for the very first time the moving Leonard Cohen song: “Famous Blue Raincoat.” I was struck by the haunting, raw, emotional, intimate, poetic style in this man’s music, lyrics, and voice. I played his wonderful gem of a song in the background on steady repeat at low volume to create the “moodset” and inspire the writing of the poem. If you listen to this song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.
I immediately started exploring other Leonard Cohen songs and found they had very much the same inspirational, moving quality – songs like: “Suzanne,””Hallelujah,” and “Dance Me to the End of Love,” among others. I also discovered the amazing Jeff Buckley version of “Hallelujah” which Cohen thought was a nearly perfect rendition of his song. The Jeff Buckley version was released as a single 10 years after his death (he was 30 years old and died in a swimming accident). The Jeff Buckley version can really move you to tears.