Comment 3 of 4, added on July 1st, 2008 at 2:29 PM.

I feel as though I understand this song on a very deep level. At this time in my life, I think it is the most beautiful song I have ever heard. The previous commenter saw this as all hope gone, and is right about the paradox of it all. I, however, don't see this as hopelessness, but a kind of acceptance of how things are. He begins with the sparrow singing in the morning to start again. I see this as an opportunity of a new beginning with every new moment spent in the here and now, the ultimate in hopefulness. He speaks of human nature in "ah the wars, they will be fought again", and with this an implied message that we are flawed, and we need to accept that. "The dove is never free" speaks to me of how all kinds of religions attempt to cage and profit from our spiritual aspirations. "The signs for all to see" shows how we still don't learn from our past mistakes. The kicker is "I won't run no more with that lawless crowd, while killers in high places say their prayers out loud, but they've summoned up a thunder cloud, and they're going to hear from me." I think of my rage against how governments have been corrupt, destructive, warmongering hippocrates wile hiding behind professions of faith. And that the time has finally come for change, whether it be from the people or nature herself. "you can add up the parts, you won't have the sum" shows the paradoxes of life, such as how you can struggle against something, and in the end, become the thing your struggled against, or, of how you can try to make sense of some things, but they just don't make sense. And in the end, "every heart will come to love, but like a refugee" Well, that's how I came to find love, after years of looking, and finally giving up on the fantasy of romantic notions and deciding to love someone as they are, for real, after going through hell to find them. This is a poem/song written by a mature soul, who has attained a level of enlightenment and awareness. And throughout all of this disillusionment, there is the uplifting chorus, "ring the bells that still can ring", it is a new day, you can still enjoy and accomplish what you can. "Forget your perfect offering", and what you do doesn't have to be the perfect vision you have, give of yourself, in all your glorious imperfection. "There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" is the esoteric crack in the cosmic egg, an kind of mysterious way that how our imperfections are perfect in that we become better by our flaws over time, generations.

Barbara Patton from United States

Comment 1 of 4, added on October 6th, 2005 at 11:34 AM.

cohen writes as one with all hope gone...this is so argueable...the paradox is that his view on man's destructive nature could be coming either from a religionist's or a non believer's point of view...the biblical scholars believe that life as we know it needs to be destroyed before we achieve perfect peace (in heaven?) and the non believers feel that man is here simply to follow whatever philosophy he's adopted which varies remarkably... ...but, in any event, cohen writes this wonderful piece and just by the act of writing, one might assume that his feeling about achieving peace is not entirely hopeless because if he really has given up he wouldn't be writing anything at all...his spirit comes through his writing and for me it says he still has hope...

ilene novick from United States