One of my favorite version's of "Hallelujah" (other than his own of course) RIP, Leonard Cohen
"Benediction"
Your arms, strong,
fingers surprisingly elegant,
nails neatly trimmed.
Manly gentleness,
my Hallelujah, my strength,
holds me sleepily,
a little too warmly, but refuge
overrides menopause.
I'm old enough to know sadness,
even happiness, has peaks and valleys;
yet somehow I need this touch,
this settling of feeling
for me to whisper prayers
to a God sometimes ignored,
until becalmed I fall asleep,
stilled into a cocooned slumber
of hushed benediction.
by Margaret Bednar, November 12, 2016
This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Sunday Mini-Challenge - Still Points"
13 comments:
All I can say is a cold and a broken hallelujah
Oh, a deep one here!
... to know sadness, even happiness, has peaks and valleys... Reminds me of the famous quote "this too shall pass.."
You convey a deep sense of security in these lines. It is a good thing to be in exactly the right place at the right time - what could be better than a lover's arms?
Deeply moving!❤️
I think you've summed up the kind of peace that we need as we get older and have known sadness and happiness, when we're no longer seeking excitement and diversion but the 'touch ... this settling of feeling', the 'hushed benediction'. I love the phrase 'but refuge overrides menopause'.
We do have those valleys... but sometimes we can find that light to guide us. I heard Leonard Cohen in that Hallelujah
A beautiful emotional life summary, Margaret. A personal relationship with one you love, there to help level the peaks and valleys. But not without vividly memorable downs, sadness Then there is your spiritual like to be reckoned with, seems we are wired to seek God. Your reference to being old enough to know extreme sadness brought two my own early age situations to mind. I was maybe two, ...wrongfully accused with severe consequences. Again, before ten, my first beloved dog died, I could have prevented her death. Some events leave their tainted impression. You didn't mention death of a parent at a young age. We've had two, still dealing with, My grandmother died from the flu that Mom carried home from school. She lived her life feeling responsible, I learned after Mom died at age 88.
Sorry I ramble here,
..
I love the reality dancing through your second stanza. It made me smile... and nod.
I love that "cocooned slumber of hushed benediction."
The wonderful thing about faith is that where it assures, the troubled mind stills. This read like the smooth surface of a pond.
Very nice, Margaret. I was so sad to hear of Leonard Cohen's death. He was an amazing poet.
Beautiful...Peace these days doesn't come easy.
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