"I'm Your Man" By Leonard Cohen

I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen
"If you want a lover, I'll do anything you ask me to,
And if you want another kind of love I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner Take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand I'm your man
If you want a boxer I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver Climb inside Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can I'm your man
Ah, the moon's too bright The chain's too tight The beast won't go to sleep I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet I'd say please, please I'm your man
And if you've got to sleep A moment on the road I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand I'm your man
If you want a lover I'll do anything you ask me to And if you want another kind of love I'll wear a mask for you."
What I love about this poem is Cohen's perception of love and power. Cohen highlights thesse pivotal aspects of power with Cohen's attitude and behaviour whilst the female character maintains an element of dominance over her lover. Cohen explores the differemt themes of love, i.e Cohen depicts lust, "I'll examine every inch of you", desire, "I'd howl at your beauty" and additionally Cohen somewaht portrays his obsession of this women also shown through his animalistic behaviour, "Like a dog in heat", "howl", "The beast won't go to sleep".
Additionally, Cohen portrays dedication to this women, "And you want another knid of love I'll wear a mask for you." The reader soon questions Cohens description of 'another kind of love'. What other kind of love? ~ Cohen use of a 'mask' displays his dediction to the lover, a mask generally used to hide the face. Furthermore, this use of a mask possibly shows his struggle to hide his feelings, the mask possibly distorting the truth and reality to Cohen and his lover.