Dear Heather - The Faith

[paul.percy]

Who knows what triggers that precious moment of discovery where a song comes alive with meaning and message? In this case I think it was what I am currently reading though it has no direct connection to this song. I have listened to and deeply loved Dear Heather many times over and memorized some of the poems. But I couldn't like "The Faith" until now.

I think the phrase "Oh Love aren't you tired yet?" is a complex allusion to god resting on the 7th day. It seems god has not rested but gone on and on in the evolution of man ("The club, the wheel, the mind") and the history of civilizations and its religions: "A cross on every hill, The star, the minaret." It is interesting that the song references only the three religions that worship a personal god even though Leonard's involvement with Buddhism is well known.

Because of this last point I feel the subject to whom the question of the song is addressed is not exactly god but our need for god or for the traditions of the religions. On one level it might be asking what god is still doing in the world having not rested and evidently not tired: "So many graves to fill." This is the old struggle of trying to understand the evil in the world in terms of a god that we think or at least hope loves us and whom in spite of the ills in creation we find ourselves wanting to love as well as fear. ("Oh love...") But on another level or from another perspective the question is addressed to our human collective whom the poet's heart cannot help but love, and asks the question aren't we tired of this narrow religion, this boxing of god into warring factions, and even more radically aren't we tired of trying to understand the ultimate meaning of life in terms of a god with a personality. The fact that the personality seems so often as a faithless lover, may indicate to us our misconception of god as a personality. We are not thereby denied our spiritual yearnings. To sing "Oh love," is still our human place in the face tremendous mystery of a universe filled with unfathomable joy and pain.

I hope you will respond if this makes sense to you, or if you think it is way off base and have another interpretation.

[lizzytysh]

What a self-introduction to the Forum, Paul! Welcome!!!
I hope you get some responses or at least one beyond mine.
I've always LOVED this song, but appreciate it even more, even so much more, having read your careful, detailed analysis. For me, it's very sensitive and insightful. I'm hoping that you'll take your question and analysis and add it into another section. If you can get either Doron Cohen or Mat to respond, it won't be long before you're in a spirited discussion. Mat has been hanging out mostly in the Member's Poetry section and I'm not sure about Doron. But they [along with some others] have done thorough analyses of Leonard's Book of Mercy. I'm wondering if you could present your question in the Leonard's Music section and maybe they'll find it there.

Thank you so much for your posting. I hope you'll continue to post .


~ Lizzy

[Diane]

Hello Paul, thanks for your interesting perspective on The Faith, and welcome to the forum:-)

I feel the subject to whom the question of the song is addressed is not exactly god but our need for god or for the traditions of the religions.

I'd agree with that idea.

You might like to read through this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16942&p=267278