More Poetry Inspired by Leonard Cohen from R.G. Evans & Clive Gresswell

Touch Wood by R.G. Evans  
The poem/lyrics below were inspired by an interview about songwriting with Leonard Cohen. The first line and refrain or both quotes from that interview

Raise an altar of unhewn stone
One gate of horn one gate of bone
Touch wood
Come on touch wood

Black ball white ball juggle them both
Look to the one that you drop most
Touch wood
Come on touch wood


Say a prayer cast a spell
One goes to heaven one goes to hell
No way of telling what’s bad from good
Only thing a soul can do and that’s touch wood
Come on touch wood

Black cat howling on a gravestone stump
Watch where you step and how high you jump
Touch wood
Come on touch wood

Midnight crossroads meet your man
John the conqueroo and glory’s hand
Touch wood
Come on touch wood

One thief on your left and one to your right
Only thing to do is hold on tight
And touch wood
Come on touch wood 


Bio: R. G. Evans is a poet, fiction writer, and songwriter from Southern New Jersey. He teaches creative writing at Rowan University. Website: www.rgevanswriter.com



Lookout by Clive Gresswell
dedicated to Leonard Cohen

the holy war metaphors are in
wages of the pentecostal sin
harbingers of every thin reprieve
soldierless fortunes armies on their knees
recalling from fixtures the broken cry of hymns
the rattle of the mounting mourning violins
& stretchers from across the chimes of winds
the solitary burgeoning of terrestrial times
the tinkling emergence of solitary rhymes
beside the lakes & the burial of mimes
we seek the hope & glory of appeal
the work towards the journey of it all
& where the men stood motionless on the hill
gathering up the writing on the wall.



Bio: Clive Gresswell is a 64-year-old innovative writer and poet who has appeared in many mags from BlazeVOX to Poetry Wars and Tears in the Fence. He is the author of five poetry books the last two being ‘Strings’ and ‘Atoms’ from erbacce-press (see their website for more details).