Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs

Having been impressed by Leonard Cohen's Book of Longing, I sought out another collection of his poetry to enjoy. Stranger Music is not as overpowering as Book of Longing, though it still has a sizeable number of gems peppered throughout. Unlike the leaner and more focused Book of Longing, this collection draws from a number of sources, including previously-published poetry collections like Let Us Compare Mythologies, The Spice-Box of Earth, Flowers for Hitler and Book of Mercy, and Cohen's albums from 1968-1992. This means that whilst the usual Cohen themes of romance, spirituality and eroticism are present, their power is diluted by the broader spread of Stranger Music.

Perhaps it is wrong to compare Stranger Music to Book of Longing show more too heartily. Whereas the latter was a focused and flawless collection written (for the most part) in a short timeframe, Stranger Music collects material (poems, songs and prose) from across his entire career until 1993. Book of Longing convinced me, a long-time fan of Cohen's music, of his ability as a poet. What Stranger Music does is convince us of Cohen as a sort of artistic polymath, equally adept with poetry, music or prose. Whilst I would recommend Book of Longing as an introduction to Cohen's artistic power, if you want a broader appreciation of the man's talents than Stranger Music is the perfect herald.

Personal favourites include: 'These Heroics', 'The Fly', 'Gift', 'Travel', 'Isaiah', 'All There is to Know About Adolph Eichmann', 'The Way Back', 'Ugly in My Own Eyes', 'There Are No Traitors', 'Paper-Thin Hotel', 'The Dream', 'How to Speak Poetry', 'Ballad of the Absent Mare' and 'Not Knowing Where to Go'. show less

"How you murdered your family/ means nothing to me/ as your mouth moves across my body"... What can one possibly say after reading these words? Could these be the most powerful first lines of a poem ever written? Some would probably stick to the classics, but, as far as I'm concerned, no "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" will ever match the first lines of Leonard Cohen's "Letter". As if I wasn't enough of a Cohen fan after listening to his songs, I had to discover his poetry too, to become an even bigger fan.
"Stranger Music" is an anthology that puts together poems from Leonard Cohen's previously published volumes of poetry, as well as song lyrics.
Probably the most striking thing about Cohen's poetry is the disarming honesty show more with which he writes on subjects such as love, lost faith or failure and defeat. His tone ranges from nostalgia and longing to bitter irony. It is impossible for a reader not to find a bit of himself in Leonard Cohen's verse. show less

Leonard Cohen's words not only speaks to me, they are what I would say if I were a mad poetic genius. Over the years, I have spent many hours in both new and used book stores, partly as a book lover and reader, but also with the specific intent of collecting all the works of my favorite writers. It took a long time, but I do now have the majority of his works (all the major stuff) and I still cherish Stranger Music. It is an interesting look into the way that Mr Cohen views his own works, and which ones he believes are the most important.An awesome text for people who love Leonard Cohen and for those who are looking for a good entry point into his poetry.

Gorgeous book setting out a large number of selected songs and poems of the brilliant Leonard Cohen. Worty addition to any set of bookshelves.

It's Cohen. What can I say? Good poetry and some not so good. But it's Cohen

If you buy a single book of Cohen's poetry, this is the one you want.

Simply put, every lyric, every word is so so worth it.