Just days before Marianne Ihlen passed away on July 29th, Leonard Cohen sent an emotional farewell letter to the woman who served as the inspiration for his songs “So Long, Marianne” and “Bird on the Wire.” Ihlen’s friend Jan Christian Mollestad confirmed this to the CBC.
What were Leonard Cohen’s last words?
Mollestad claims that after telling Cohen about Ihlen’s impending leukemia death, the famed musician and poet replied two hours later with a “wonderful” letter, which Mollestad then read to Ihlen.
“It said, ‘Well Marianne it’s come to this time when we are so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine,” Mollestad told the CBC of Cohen’s letter.
“‘And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and your wisdom, but I don’t need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye, old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.’”
Ihlen “lost consciousness and sank into death” two days later, according to Mollestad. In her hometown of Oslo, Norway, her funeral took place on Friday.
