A recurring Cohen metaphor for the ordinary world of commerce, desire, and survival where one must "turn tricks" and get their "fix". It represents the gritty, daily hustle that contrasts with the "Masterpiece"—a higher state of peace or transcendental understanding .
Features a subset of the poem's many verses, set to a minimalist electronic track produced by Robinson. A Thousand Kisses Deep
The narrator eventually "consents to be wrecked," moving from a struggle for control to a compassionate acceptance of human limits. Evolution of the Work A recurring Cohen metaphor for the ordinary world
Contains many more "darker" or more explicit verses (e.g., "you handled me like meat") that Cohen preferred to recite live rather than sing. The narrator eventually "consents to be wrecked," moving
Leonard Cohen's is widely considered one of his most profound late-career works, existing both as a lush musical collaboration with Sharon Robinson on the 2001 album Ten New Songs and as an expansive poem published in his 2006 collection, Book of Longing . Themes and Interpretation
The song suggests that while we try to "beat the odds," eventual loss (of youth, lovers, or life) is certain. "A thousand kisses deep" refers to the depth at which love continues to exist even after these losses.
