Full Moon Fever

Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night beside her
And you know that she's half crazy
But that's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her
That you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind.
And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching
From his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said All men will be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them"
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
And you want to travel with him
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind.

Now Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She is wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind.
Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne

Am listening to this song quite a lot lately. Who doesn't like Leonard Cohen?

Also like another French Canadian writer called Mordecai Richler. Writer, philosopher. Brilliant. What is it about Quebec that creates such fantastic artists? Nothing against Ontario or BC, but wow. Maybe you've never even heard of Richler. In that case, I'd recommend Barney's Version. Highly. Get a copy. You'll be glad you did.

So back to Suzanne...the line about tea and oranges all the way from China is why I'm talking about this song on a #teablog. Have been listening to this song since I was 13. Over and over and over again. I've known far too many women who were also 'half crazy', but that was exactly why I wanted to be there.

When I write songs, I try to conjure the things that Cohen does. 'Jesus was a Sailor'. Wow. Is there a better introduction in a song? I don't know of any. Hello Jesus.

So, here I am on a beautiful full-moon evening/early morning, listening to a French Canadian classic, wondering if I'll ever eat Chinese oranges. I certainly drink quite a lot of Chinese tea. Lately, I've drunk too much China Yunnan green. Wonderful tea. Someone in the comments section once encouraged me to give China Yunnan another chance.

The milky moonlight is so bright, I could almost turn out the lights and still read a book by it. I love the full-moon. Great Tom Petty record about it. And Neil Young wrote a classic song and record about a Harvest Moon.