Leonard Cohen

Darkness

Darkness - meaning Summary

Darkness as Shared Malaise

The speaker describes a bleak, contagious gloom passed to him through an intimate relationship. What begins as attraction becomes a shared darkness that saps appetite, hope and pleasure. Time collapses—past, present and future feel diminished—and the speaker accepts the bleak inheritance despite recognizing its arrival in the beloved’s eyes. The poem frames emotional desolation as an almost literal contagion exchanged between lovers.

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I caught the darkness It was drinking from your cup I caught the darkness I'm drinking from your cup I said: Is this contagious? You said: Just drink it up I got no future I know my days are few The present's not that pleasant Just a lot of things to do I thought the past would last me But the darkness got that too I should have seen it coming It was right behind your eyes You were young and it was summer I just had to take a dive Winning you was easy But darkness was the prize I don't smoke no cigarette I don't drink no alcohol I ain't had much loving yet But that's always been your call Hey I don't miss it baby I got no taste for anything at all I used to love the rainbow And I used to love the view I loved the early morning I'd pretend that it was new But I caught the darkness baby And I got it worse than you I caught the darkness It was drinking from your cup I caught the darkness I'm drinking from your cup I said: Is this contagious? You said: Just drink it up

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