Hallelujah

The US Army Corps of Engineers diverted the Wolf River in 1960
Turning the old mouth of the river
Into Wolf River Harbor
Setting the scene
For Jeff Buckley to drown
Thirty seven years later
Before his version of
Hallelujah
Would rise up the charts
It was written by Leonard Cohen
So he sung it first
John Cale covered it first
It’s been sung in Spanish
Covered by a Norwegian quartet
Appeared in Shrek
Which used Cale’s version in the movie and
Rufus Wainwright’s in the soundtrack
If you know who Tim Minchin is
You might be surprised to know that he’s covered it too
Maybe even with a canvas bag but
Everyone’s covered it
Even Bon Jovi and K.D. Lang
Everyone
When my daughter asks for Lula
Though
It’s Buckley’s version she wants
She doesn’t care about
Biblical references or
Multiple Hallelujahs or
Who wrote it first
Or who is the funniest
Or got the most money from DreamWorks
Or is a lesbian
She likes the one I played for her on YouTube
She likes it when I sing it
She likes it when we cuddle and
I sing Lula and
So do I
Even though
I hear Buckley’s voice in my head every time I sing it and
I can hear the cold and broken hallelujah and
I can picture Wolf River harbor
On the night of May 29th
I just rub her back and
Sing hallelujah