Villanelle For Our Time Lyrics - Dear Heather - Leonard Cohen

From bitter searching of the heart, 

Quickened with passion and with pain 

We rise to play a greater part. 

This is the faith from which we start: 

Men shall know commonwealth again 

From bitter searching of the heart. 

We loved the easy and the smart, 

But now, with keener hand and brain, 

We rise to play a greater part. 

The lesser loyalties depart, 

And neither race nor creed remain 

From bitter searching of the heart. 

Not steering by the venal chart 

That tricked the mass for private gain, 

We rise to play a greater part. 

Reshaping narrow law and art 

Whose symbols are the millions slain, 

From bitter searching of the heart 

We rise to play a greater part.