Here is That Leonard Cohen Poem About Kanye West

Posted Without Comment

October 12, 2018  By Leonard Cohen
0


Leonard Cohen wrote this poem in March of 2015; it’s included in his recently released posthumous collection, The Flame.

Article continues after advertisement
Remove Ads
*

KANYE WEST IS NOT PICASSO

Kanye West is not Picasso
I am Picasso
Kanye West is not Edison
I am Edison
I am Tesla
Jay-Z is not the Dylan of anything
I am the Dylan of anything
I am the Kanye West of Kanye West
The Kanye West
Of the great bogus shift of bullshit culture
From one boutique to another
I am Tesla
I am his coil
The coil that made electricity soft as a bed
I am the Kanye West Kanye West thinks he is
When he shoves your ass off the stage
I am the real Kanye West
I don’t get around much anymore
I never have
I only come alive after a war
And we have not had it yet

March 15, 2015

 

Article continues after advertisement
Remove Ads

__________________________________

the flame

Excerpted from THE FLAME: Poems Notebooks Lyrics Drawings by Leonard Cohen, edited by Robert Faggen and Alexandra Pleshoyano, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on October 2, 2018. Copyright © 2018 by Leonard Cohen. All rights reserved.




Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen was a singer, songwriter, poet, novelist, and painter. He died last year at 82.








More Story
"The Saddest Case of True Love" Last week I received a postcard from Italy. At first I thought it was a mistake. The message was short but very personal....

Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member: Because Books Matter

For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience, exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag. Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

x