Elevator
In the poem “Elevator” the narrator meets the musician Leonard Cohen, of whom they appear to be a great fan, in an elevator in Toronto, Canada.
The narrator describes the moment in which the elevator doors close and they are alone with Cohen, feeling nervous to the point of almost being sick. Eventually, the narrator reveals that they have met before at various concerts and wonders how and why Cohen found them, implying that they think Cohen intentionally sought them out.
In the last stanza, the elevator has reached Cohen’s floor and he steps out while the narrator stays inside. Cohen then addresses the narrator, ambiguously asking whether or not they know where they want to be, which can both refer to the floor they want to go as well as the general direction in life.
Remark
In the poem “Remark” the narrator ponders over the positive effect a single humorous remark has on their and their partner’s well-being. Establishing that they were both under a lot of stress for a long time, the narrator recalls a moment when they said something that made their partner laugh, causing the narrator to suddenly be remembered of how good this feels and momentarily distracting them from their situation. In the last stanza, the narrator expresses the wish to be able to actively remember this feeling.
What Every Woman Should Carry
In the brief poem “What Every Woman Should Carry” the narrator, presumably a woman herself, lists the items that any woman should carry with her. The list is a mixture of material (some practical, some hygienic) and immaterial items (such as prayers and memories) and appears to be based solely on the narrator’s experiences except for the first item (a prayer) which she received from her mother.
