Hydra 2002. The Leonard Cohen Experience

ROGER GREEN

The One and Only

Suzanne takes me up
to her place near Four Corners
I can hear the mules go by
I can spend the night next door
And I know that she’s half crazy
but that’s why I want to be there
and help carry pots of basil
bought from Mr. Koukoudakis
And just when I mean to tell her
that I’m making notes about her
she gets me on her wavelength
and she lets the donkey answer
that she knows just like Cassandra

And I want to listen to her
I want to listen hard
and I know that she can’t trust me
for I’ve caught her cryptic phrases
like a bard

And Roger was a writer
who desired accumulations
and he spent a long time lurking
in his brick and concrete lookout
and when he knew for certain
that the song was not about you
he said Women will be oracles
until the garden claims them
but he himself was sweating
at the sight of sparrows mating
forgetting, madly writing
he soaked up all your sayings like a sponge

And you want to listen to him
you want to listen hard
and you think maybe you’ll trust him
for he’s caught your cryptic phrases
like a bard

Now Suzanne takes my hand
and she leads me to Four Corners
on each wrist she wears a bandage
and she has a cane to lean on
Her reception is erratic
so she telephones Lamairas
And she speaks about the Furies
as she shows me her bananas
There are laurels in the cupboard
there are old men at the windows
they are leaning out to spy
they will lean that way for ever
while Suzanne holds the key-ring

And I want to listen to her
I want to listen hard
and I know that she can’t trust me
for I’ve caught her cryptic phrases
like a bard

Roger Green is an Englishman living on Hydra (next to Leonard Cohen's house). Among his publications are several books of poetry, including Wolvercote Dreaming (1996), Notes From Overground (1984) and With It Or On It (2000). The parody poem on this page comes from the last-mentioned and was read by the author at the Open Mic.

Roger's book Hydra and The Bananas of Leonard Cohen is also featured on this site.

Photos © (1) Jarkko Arjatsalo and (2) Eve

Last revised on October 5, 2003