alexandra leaving

[sødelonne]

I can't figure out how to understand the headtheme in alexandra leaving.
Do you think it's loss? the loss he suffers from being abandoned by his protecter?
Been thinking about it for years now... What does he want us to feel about that amazing, sensible poem?
Help me discuss it, please!

[iveta]

and you who had the honour of her evening
and by that honour had your own restored
say goodbye to alexandra leaving
say goodbye to alexandra lost

i havent read The God Abandons Antony,
a poem by Constantine P. Cavafy it is base on...

i just feel once she has restored your powers, it's a blasphemy to complain that she left afterwards
important is that she had done a great job for you
you'd rather appreciate the honours and joy have recieved from, and feel the strenght she gave you

perhaps thats leonard's instruction on how to accept the loss

[Sophia]

http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/cavafy.html

Sophia

[Stamatina]

^Cavafy is one of my favourite, I have to admit...=)


About the meaning of the song, I agree very much to what iveta said.

and you who had the honour of her evening
and by that honour had your own restored

she honoured you by granting you the privilege to stay with her
now you must accept her departure and not behave like a coward
to hold this honour still high.
(one of those moments
when the dictionary doesn't help..
I hope you got what I mean )

[Eskimo]

http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/cavafy.html

Sophia

It may also be interesting to look at the source of Cavavy's inspiration - Plutarch's Life of Antony:

After this, Antony sent a new challenge to Caesar [Octavian], to fight him hand to hand; who made him answer that he might find several other ways to end his life; and he, considering with himself that he could not die more honorably than in battle, resolved to make an effort both by land and sea. At supper, it is said, he bade his servants help him freely, and pour him out wine plentifully, since tomorrow, perhaps, they should not do the same, but be servants to a new master, whilst he should lie on the ground, a dead corpse, a nothing. Then, seeing that his friends were weeping at these words, he declared that he would not lead them out to battle, since from it he sought an honourable death for himself rather than safety and victory. That night, it is related, about the middle of it, when the whole city was in a deep silence and general sadness, expecting the event of the next day, suddenly was heard the sound of all sorts of instruments, and voices singing in tune, and the cry of a crowd of people shouting and dancing, as if a troop of revellers, making a great tumult, were going forth from the city. This tumultuous procession seemed to take its course right through the middle of the city to the gate nearest the enemy; here it became loudest, and suddenly passed out. People who reflected considered this to signify that Bacchus, the god whom Antony had always made it his study to copy and imitate, had now forsaken him.

....if interested in hearing Cavavy's poem put to music, click here.....

[mat james]

search.php

[mat james]

Alexandra Leaving.
I have completed a commentary on this song at the link below.
You may like to check it out.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=10339&p=256041#p256041

Mat.