Good wishes to your son and his wife. Your family is expanding!
For my second wedding, twenty years ago, I sang my "vows", such as they were. Being a guitarist and singer, it felt appropriate. I sang "The Nearness of You" and "In My life", and then Harry Chapin's "Circle", where the entire wedding crowd (it was smallish) joined hands in a…
Good wishes to your son and his wife. Your family is expanding!
For my second wedding, twenty years ago, I sang my "vows", such as they were. Being a guitarist and singer, it felt appropriate. I sang "The Nearness of You" and "In My life", and then Harry Chapin's "Circle", where the entire wedding crowd (it was smallish) joined hands in a circle.
This July, my son will be married and I was asked if I would like to speak. I said sure, and have been contemplating what I might say. I've thought of reading something - a poem, perhaps; perhaps "Dance Me To The End Of Love" by Leonard Cohen? I won't sing anything, as this is not about me, but my son and his bride. I hadn't thought of any of the philosophers, but your choice was wonderfully apt.
I've always wondered if people who want Dance Me To The End of Love (a gorgeous song, btw, couldn't agree more on that!) at their wedding know it was written about the bands that played the Jews to the gas chambers at the death camps in WWII... 🤔
Gwen, you've made me think a lot about this poem's meaning, and also read what Leonard Cohen had to say about. It's true, that the inspiration of the song was his knowledge of the musicians who played as victims went to their deaths in the camps.. He also went on to say that while the words are about the end of life, "it is the same language that we use for surrender to the beloved, so that the song — it’s not important that anybody knows the genesis of it, because if the language comes from that passionate resource, it will be able to embrace all passionate activity."
Although I may not read that poem at my son's wedding, I did give them a book of Leonard's poems soon after they became engaged, and encouraged them to read Dance Me To The End Of Love. To me, it describes the power of love to help one through the many ups and downs of two becoming one in the life they live together.
I don't know if you're familiar with it, but there's a book called Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen. It's a book of his most substantive interviews. And it's well worth reading. If you're interested in anything about him. I just finished it and it earned a permanent place on my bookshelf for itself.
Good wishes to your son and his wife. Your family is expanding!
For my second wedding, twenty years ago, I sang my "vows", such as they were. Being a guitarist and singer, it felt appropriate. I sang "The Nearness of You" and "In My life", and then Harry Chapin's "Circle", where the entire wedding crowd (it was smallish) joined hands in a circle.
This July, my son will be married and I was asked if I would like to speak. I said sure, and have been contemplating what I might say. I've thought of reading something - a poem, perhaps; perhaps "Dance Me To The End Of Love" by Leonard Cohen? I won't sing anything, as this is not about me, but my son and his bride. I hadn't thought of any of the philosophers, but your choice was wonderfully apt.
Now I will ponder further.
I've always wondered if people who want Dance Me To The End of Love (a gorgeous song, btw, couldn't agree more on that!) at their wedding know it was written about the bands that played the Jews to the gas chambers at the death camps in WWII... 🤔
Gwen, you've made me think a lot about this poem's meaning, and also read what Leonard Cohen had to say about. It's true, that the inspiration of the song was his knowledge of the musicians who played as victims went to their deaths in the camps.. He also went on to say that while the words are about the end of life, "it is the same language that we use for surrender to the beloved, so that the song — it’s not important that anybody knows the genesis of it, because if the language comes from that passionate resource, it will be able to embrace all passionate activity."
Although I may not read that poem at my son's wedding, I did give them a book of Leonard's poems soon after they became engaged, and encouraged them to read Dance Me To The End Of Love. To me, it describes the power of love to help one through the many ups and downs of two becoming one in the life they live together.
I don't know if you're familiar with it, but there's a book called Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen. It's a book of his most substantive interviews. And it's well worth reading. If you're interested in anything about him. I just finished it and it earned a permanent place on my bookshelf for itself.
Thanks! Yes, I have a copy.