How does the light get in?

For Claire, who asked for a post, and was dubious about Leonard Cohen.

I like this Leonard Cohen lyric “Anthem”, sad and wise and a nice piece of theology, and especially the lines “Every heart / to love will come / but like a refugee” (Origen?). Admittedly, it works better as a song lyric than a poem. There are lots of Cohen performance videos on the web, but not for this song, so below is a amateur youtube version that someone has made with the soundtrack from The Future (1992), when the marvellous Jennifer Warnes and Perla Batalla were singing backup.

The birds they sang / at the break of day
Start again / I heard them say,
Don't dwell on what / has passed away
or what is yet to be.

The wars they will / be fought again
The holy dove / be caught again
bought and sold /and bought again;
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs / the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed / the marriage spent;
Yeah the widowhood / of every government—
signs for all to see.

Can't run no more / with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places / say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned up / a thundercloud
They're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts / but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march / there is no drum.
Every heart / to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.