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NanjoKoji — Riku - The End of Love

Published: 2008-11-12 20:25:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 8700; Favourites: 493; Downloads: 191
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Description I tried to find a very simple picture for today, greyscales and clear forms.

As I promised, I'll feature one of my favourite artists here today (maybe some of you know him, most of you most likely won't):
the poet, singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen.

Born in the 1930's in Canada, he started as a writer and published mostly poetry, moved to greece and returned later to the US, where he started his singer career in the '60s, that made him world-famous. Cohens works are of a strong melancholic tint, dealing with the exploration of religion, isolation, sexuality, and complex interpersonal relationships. Allthough he published numerous albums, he sometimes works 10 years on a song.
Although Cohen is a jew, he spent the late '90's in seclusion as a Zen monk at Mt. Baldy. This year, his world tour is his first stage appereance in 15 years.

His most famous songs are 'Hallelujah' (you may know some of the many covers, e.g. by Rufus Wainwright), 'First we take Manhattan' (covers by Joe Cocker, R.E.M. and others), 'In my secret life', 'Suzanne' and more.

My favourites of his work are
'Dance me to the End of Love' [link]
'The Stranger Song' [link]

His works are of a clear intelligence and knowledge about the ways of life, his play of words is winking and the meaning in them is stunning. Leonard Cohen's songs are true, and that's something very seldom to be found.
I love the simple settings of his music; the melancholy of his bariton voice carries the lyrics well. Cohen is an exceptional artist - and yeah, he's about 80 years old, but art is not about age. I sometimes use quotation from some of his songs at the bottom of the description of my deviations.

I recently read his poetry volume 'Stranger Music' twice and at the moment, I'm at 'The Book of Longing'. I recommend it to everyone who's in for some intellectual mind-food.

--

(me) as Riku
Street Style
Kingdom Hearts II

photo by
character (c) Square Enix/Disney

--

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on
Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long
We're both of us beneath our love, we're both of us above
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
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Comments: 40

happy-feet-always [2011-02-13 05:35:29 +0000 UTC]

I love this Photo so much! your eyes are amazing. i wish i could cosplay. looks like so much fun! great work!

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NanjoKoji In reply to happy-feet-always [2011-02-14 11:53:12 +0000 UTC]

thanks so much!

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happy-feet-always In reply to NanjoKoji [2011-02-14 15:05:12 +0000 UTC]

No problem! all your work is amazing! This one is one of my favorites! great job!

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DartiRevi [2009-08-19 22:23:10 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful

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KirakinsXIII [2008-11-15 18:04:16 +0000 UTC]

I like the photo because your outfit/cosplay isn't the focus for once, it's more focused on you and your gorgeous face! I love how your eyes look in this photo, they are very striking!!

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LilyFlare [2008-11-14 05:43:05 +0000 UTC]

I listened to the song you linked and now I'm looking at your picture again with that song in my head and wow. It just makes it so much more powerful. I think everything should have a song to go with it. XP

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SirenAquroya [2008-11-14 01:53:21 +0000 UTC]

simply amazing

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LillithMalice [2008-11-13 20:20:28 +0000 UTC]

simply beautiful

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Zexion-Tamer In reply to LillithMalice [2008-11-13 20:55:43 +0000 UTC]

I totally love your icon...

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LillithMalice In reply to Zexion-Tamer [2008-11-14 19:25:19 +0000 UTC]

Thank you I like yours too.

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Zexion-Tamer In reply to LillithMalice [2008-11-14 20:33:41 +0000 UTC]

thanks!

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LillithMalice In reply to Zexion-Tamer [2008-11-14 20:34:58 +0000 UTC]

your welcome

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Miho-Kyoda [2008-11-13 18:35:42 +0000 UTC]

WEEEE! your eyes are co pretty! lovely pic! *huggles*

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KatieZientek [2008-11-13 18:34:40 +0000 UTC]

Enough with these, come on. Find a new hobby. XD

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christilite [2008-11-13 11:04:17 +0000 UTC]

i really like this photo, it draws me in and i find myself staring at it

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ChibiChiko [2008-11-13 08:34:58 +0000 UTC]

very great shot
your eyes are so stunning
*_____*
the hole shot is as simple as wonderful

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xdarkxelegancex [2008-11-13 04:37:19 +0000 UTC]

The song Hallelujah brings me to tears everytime I hear it.

Really nice composition of this photo.

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z7MoonChild7z [2008-11-13 04:31:25 +0000 UTC]

I love this pic! Your eyes are so pretty!

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SeaMistress89 [2008-11-13 04:15:42 +0000 UTC]

very nicely dun and very beutiful

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ItsSorceress [2008-11-13 03:09:04 +0000 UTC]

My mother introduced me to him a few years ago; her two absolute loves are Leonard Cohen and Yanni (whom I also love). I remember hearing "Everybody Knows" for the first time and I found myself pulled in, singing along. His lyrics and poetry are just profoundly moving and his voice... you just have to love his voice. His works really do portray a distinct and wonderful knowledge of life. It's wonderful that you feature him; more people need to indulge that kind of knowledge.

I need to look into his poetry volume; I'm positive we have some of his books where I work.

And I love this photo; the simplicity is perfect and conveys very beautiful emotion. ^___^

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Kyubi-Kitsune09 [2008-11-13 02:29:07 +0000 UTC]

I love all your Riku shots! They are amazing. You look just like Riku.

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efingkangaroo [2008-11-13 00:34:36 +0000 UTC]

I really like how you have freckles in this picture. It's like you/Riku have this totally innocent side that no one sees. It's really different.

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sora-pants [2008-11-12 23:49:01 +0000 UTC]

I love your eyes....I just love the color...

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yuuyami-artist [2008-11-12 23:45:58 +0000 UTC]

wonderful!!! i love this! ^_^

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SubtleInspiration [2008-11-12 23:38:03 +0000 UTC]

Ohh, Leonard Cohen. It's such a pity that so few of his songs ever made it big (and even that mostly through covers). I can't claim to know too much of his work, but I have definitely loved the little that I've heard. I want "Dance Me" to be my wedding song. ^^ And... oh my goodness, I'd never heard the "Stranger Song" before but that performance was... wow. I was so filled with heavy emotion that I couldn't move until it was done... really something great! ^^ I'm going to look up more of his work (I had no idea he was a published poet!), I just love how rich his words are, in combination with his complimenting voice and soft melodies to carry it all. Thank you for featuring him!

I like the simplicity of this photo, it's sort of like how Cohen performs- still, subdued, but rich with thoughtful emotion and very internalized. ^^ Thanks for this.

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Mileyx [2008-11-12 23:29:23 +0000 UTC]

Wow! i love this.
colours are perfect and you look amazing.

xx

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PyroShadow18 [2008-11-12 23:10:03 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful photo.

~Josh~

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Irreyre [2008-11-12 22:58:40 +0000 UTC]

and the irony of this?

here in the us, the radio in the back (well, technically front, but the back of the laptop ) is talking about how colorado is one of the first states to legalize gay marriage.

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NightshadeULF [2008-11-12 22:04:31 +0000 UTC]

I have to say, I am in love with this picture. It's so beautiful it nearly brings me to tears. Your expression is pure epicness as well.

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darkpheonix005 [2008-11-12 21:14:00 +0000 UTC]

You have nice eyes.

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vampire-san [2008-11-12 21:04:49 +0000 UTC]

amazing photo . Have u got contacts or did you edit them in?

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BladeyCakes [2008-11-12 20:55:25 +0000 UTC]

cool

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lil-mikoto [2008-11-12 20:42:02 +0000 UTC]

A very beautiful song to go with a simple picture~ :3 Lookin' great as always!

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KingdomFreak [2008-11-12 20:41:24 +0000 UTC]

wow, just wow.

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UndergroundRacer57 [2008-11-12 20:40:31 +0000 UTC]

I love your street-style Riku. I think I've heard Cohen's name before, though I don't know where. The lyrics you chose for this were really pretty. I want to check out his music now~

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madbara [2008-11-12 20:35:06 +0000 UTC]

Awesome as always. And it's a cool artist.

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EricaMonster [2008-11-12 20:34:29 +0000 UTC]

Flawless as ever.
:]

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Des-Henkers-Braut [2008-11-12 20:28:42 +0000 UTC]

Uuuh, wie ich deine Coolness liebe XD

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katy223 [2008-11-12 20:28:28 +0000 UTC]

The eyes!
They are so bright and clear among the grayscale of everything else. 83
Beautiful, as always.

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Frashat-Aljannah [2008-11-12 20:27:06 +0000 UTC]

GOOD JOB.

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