Friday, November 11, 2016

Write

Leonard Cohen died yesterday. Once again, we're seeing "RIP" in all the tributes. Why do we save peace for our eternal slumber?

In grade 13 (Ontario, Canada! Way back in the last century, they made you take grade 13/OAC if you wanted to go to university!), I took "Writer's Craft".  This was a "fluff course", guaranteed to get you a decent mark for your university application. I, however, enjoyed writing anyway and had previously taken workshops and extra tutoring. For your semester long "Independent Project", you had to study an author and create work inspired by them. I chose Leonard Cohen. He seemed so radical, modern, sexy, adult. No Edgar Allan Poe or Emily Dickinson for me.

My end project was well received by the teacher--a younger, edgier man with an earring and (small) ponytail. It was 1989, LOL. Looking back, many of the poems make me blush--are they actually as good as he said? Over the next few days I'll post a few. Very few eyes have read most of these poems!

Looking through my folder, there are very few after 1993, and none after 1995. I suffered a unexpected breakup in 1995 and it was like that wiped the creative juices from my soul.  However, last night I was inspired again.



Why do we say "Rest in Peace" when someone dies?
Why do we save peace for the eternal slumber?
It's the people left behind that need the peace.

Instead of
Rest in Peace,

Let us

Walk in Peace,
Work in Peace, 
Love with Peace,
Dream with Peace,
Share in Peace
Practice Peace
Teach Peace
Embody Peace

Instead of 
Rest in Peace

Let us 
Live in Peace.