--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It looks like freedom but it feels like…" description: "\"“It looks like freedom but it feels like death, it's something in between I guess. It's closing time.”\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8aa/leonard-cohen-448_closing-time_it-looks-like-freedom-but-it-feels-like_1700948.jpg" --- # It looks like freedom but it feels like death, it's… ![“It looks like freedom but it feels like death, it's something in between I guess. It's closing time.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8aa/leonard-cohen-448_closing-time_it-looks-like-freedom-but-it-feels-like_1700948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8aa/leonard-cohen-448_closing-time_it-looks-like-freedom-but-it-feels-like_1700948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8aa/leonard-cohen-448_closing-time_it-looks-like-freedom-but-it-feels-like_1700948.jpg) > ““It looks like freedom but it feels like death, it's something in between I guess. It's closing time.”” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker perceives a state that appears free but feels oppressive, suggesting a liminal, unsettling moment. **In simple terms:** Freedom feels like death, a painful in-between. Key Takeaway Recognize when apparent freedom is actually confinement. Themes freedom paradox existential angst liminality Mood melancholic reflective Type lyyrical philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - artistic expression - political oppression Key Concepts psychology existentialism perception Questions to Reflect On - What freedoms feel oppressive to you? - How do you identify true liberty? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex social realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Closing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closing/) [Closing time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closing-time/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [End-of-the-party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-party-55550/) [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-feels-1038337/) [Like Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-death/) [Like Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-freedom/) [Losing time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Yeah I missed you since the place got wrecked By the winds of change and the weeds of sex looks like freedom but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/yeah-i-missed-you-since-the-place-got-wrecked-by-the-winds-of-change/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The Internet is like closing time at a blue-collar bar in Boston. Everyone’s drunk and ugly and they’re going to pass out in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-wieseltier/the-internet-is-like-closing-time-at-a-blue-collar-bar-in-boston/) [Leon Wieseltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-wieseltier/) > [“It is closing time in the gardens of the West.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-conolly/it-is-closing-time-in-the-gardens-of-the-west/) [Cyril Conolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-conolly/) > [“Their mother died early, and not in a good way. Not that anyone dies in a good way, Tin footnotes to himself, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/their-mother-died-early-and-not-in-a-good-way-not-that-anyone-dies-in/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Sometimes we'd sit on that bench for hours, talking about nothing much and blowing smoke rings into the air, and we'd see them teetering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ire-t-robinson/sometimes-we-d-sit-on-that-bench-for-hours-talking-about-nothing-much/) [Máire T. Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ire-t-robinson/) > [“When there are two men left in the bar at closing time, and one of them coldcocks the other, it is not equivalent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-there-are-two-men-left-in-the-bar-at-closing-time-and-one-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’m glad he’s staying, the barmaid thought. Although she could take care of herself, witnessing how calmly this officer was dealing with these two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-m-glad-he-s-staying-the-barmaid-thought-although-she-could-take/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“I saw and heard all sorts of things in my fever; I was riding a merry-go-round, I wanted to get off but I couldn’t.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grass-gunter/i-saw-and-heard-all-sorts-of-things-in-my-fever-i-was-riding-a-merry/) [Grass Gunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grass-gunter/) > [“The moral is, never be sorry for a waiter. Sometimes when you sit in a restaurant, still stuffing yourself half an hour after closing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-moral-is-never-be-sorry-for-a-waiter-sometimes-when-you-sit-in-a/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“I nipped into this sanctuary late this afternoon and soon heard the dying footfalls of closing time. From now on, my only effort will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collier/i-nipped-into-this-sanctuary-late-this-afternoon-and-soon-heard-the/) [John Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collier/) > [“They filed out into the cold night at closing time, heading for Begbie's place with a carry-out. They'd already spent twelve hours drinking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/they-filed-out-into-the-cold-night-at-closing-time-heading-for-begbie/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I've always been into asking the big questions; I'm the last guy out the door at closing time cuz I was sittin' around 'til…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-kowalczyk/i-ve-always-been-into-asking-the-big-questions-i-m-the-last-guy-out/) [Ed Kowalczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-kowalczyk/) > [“In previous years, they might have spent hours in the cellar, on their feet, never seeing the time go by nor feeling their legs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-coss/in-previous-years-they-might-have-spent-hours-in-the-cellar-on-their/) [Laurence Cossé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-coss/) > [In my head, at least, the business of spinning stories has no closing time. Twists in my characters' lives, glimpses of their secrets, obstacles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/in-my-head-at-least-the-business-of-spinning-stories-has-no-closing/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“I regretted my human form briefly; it would be so much easier to drag and rope information into the brain as neatly as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-johnson/i-regretted-my-human-form-briefly-it-would-be-so-much-easier-to-drag/) [Marilyn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-johnson/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Closing quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [He thought about his people without sentimentalily, with a strick closing of his accounts with life, beginning to understand how much he really loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-thought-about-his-people-without-sentimentalily-with-a-strick/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [My walls are closing in, and I'm still wondering how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/my-walls-are-closing-in-and-i-m-still-wondering-how/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [As an actor, you know that every act has a closing curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-ziering/as-an-actor-you-know-that-every-act-has-a-closing-curtain/) [Ian Ziering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-ziering/) > [For the first time in longer than I can remember, I feel peaceful. Not happy. Not sad. Not anxious. Not horny. Just all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/for-the-first-time-in-longer-than-i-can-remember-i-feel-peaceful-not/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Don´t be unnecessarily burdened by the past. Go on closing the chapters that you have read; there is no need to go back again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/don-t-be-unnecessarily-burdened-by-the-past-go-on-closing-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [In my head, at least, the business of spinning stories has no closing time. Twists in my characters' lives, glimpses of their secrets, obstacles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/in-my-head-at-least-the-business-of-spinning-stories-has-no-closing/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [I always ask two questions when we are closing in on a deal: What currency are we dealing in and how many people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-pardew/i-always-ask-two-questions-when-we-are-closing-in-on-a-deal-what/) [Alan Pardew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-pardew/) > [Ignorantly is how we all fall in love; for it is a kind of fall. 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Nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/there-s-an-air-of-things-closing-down-teachers-wear-shorts-and-t/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) [Browse all 543 Closing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It looks like freedom but it feels like death, it's something in between I guess. 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