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.

Overall Meaning

In Leonard Cohen's song "Villanelle for Our Time," the lyrics speak to the human spirit rising from deep introspection and painful searching of the heart. The poet speaks to a faith that will guide us to rediscover the concept of "commonwealth" and the idea of a greater purpose. The bitterness and mistakes of the past, the pursuit of the easy and the smart, will be replaced with a new determination to use our hearts and minds together in a more profound way.

The poet speaks of the "lesser loyalties" that no longer have a place in our existence, and race and creed will no longer divide us. Instead, we will find a new honesty to guide us to rise above venal and selfish motives. We will strive to shape society, narrow law, and art to reflect the collective values of humanity. Whose symbols, sadly, are the millions who have died in war, sacrificing their lives in the pursuit of freedom and equality. From bitter searching, we will rise together, as a community, to play a greater part and make the much-needed changes that will benefit everyone.

Line by Line Meaning

From bitter searching of the heart,
We begin this journey from a place of pain and heartache, searching for something greater.

Quickened with passion and with pain
Our emotions have been heightened and we are ready to take action.

We rise to play a greater part.
We are motivated to step up and make a difference.

This is the faith from which we start:
Our belief in a common good and shared values drives us forward.

Men shall know commonwealth again
We strive for the return of community and shared responsibility.

We loved the easy and the smart,
We were once willing to take the path of least resistance.

But now, with keener hand and brain,
We are now more thoughtful and strategic in our actions.

The lesser loyalties depart,
We shed our superficial allegiances.

And neither race nor creed remain
We reject societal divisions based on race or religion.

Not steering by the venal chart
We refuse to be guided by selfish motives.

That tricked the mass for private gain,
We oppose those who manipulate the masses for their own benefit.

We rise to play a greater part.
Again, we are driven to make a positive impact on the world.

Reshaping narrow law and art
We seek to redefine restrictive laws and cultural norms.

Whose symbols are the millions slain,
We reject the symbols and systems that promote violence and oppression.

From bitter searching of the heart
Once again, we acknowledge that this journey is not easy and comes from a place of pain.

We rise to play a greater part.
Despite the challenges, we are more determined than ever to make a difference.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANK SCOTT, LEONARD COHEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Comments from YouTube:

Fatima Figueiredo

4y↑5

Saudades !!!! ♥️

Sharon Levin

4y↑6

I love this song, I enjoy the entire album . Dear Heather is a fun summer song in my humble opinion.

Thomas Bonitz

3y↑1

They they you never die as long people remember you. Leonard wil be still alive long after we are gone. There is and was never a poet that was able to touch my soul like he did.