" Well Marianne it's come to this time when we are really 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. 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…" (玛丽安,时间过得真快,我们已经这么老了,我们的身体正在日渐凋零,我会很快随你而去。记住我就在你身后不远处,只要你伸出你的手,你会触摸到我的指尖。你知道,我一直深爱你的美丽和智慧,但我什么都不必再多说,因为你清楚这一切。但是现在,我只想祝福你一路走好。再见了,老朋友。永远的爱人,前路再相逢。)
友人把这封信读给病榻上的Marianne听,当念到“if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine”,Marianne 抬起了她的手......
在他最后的专辑《You Want It Darker》中,有一首特别的歌《Travelling Light》,Cohen 选用希腊的传统乐器布祖基琴(Bouzouki)做伴奏,希腊歌手Athena Andreadis做和声,向年轻时那些在希腊的散漫与浪漫时光挥袖作别:
I'm traveling light 我是转瞬即逝的光 It's au revoir 而这就是再见了 My once so bright, my fallen star 我曾如此明亮,我的坠落之星啊 I'm running late, they'll close the bar 我要迟了,他们即将关上酒吧的大门 I used to play one mean guitar 在那里我曾是吉他手 I guess I'm just somebody who 我想我只是一个 Has given up on the me and you 放弃了你我的人 I'm not alone 然而我不是孤身一人 I've met a few 我也曾遇见几道光 Traveling light like we used to do 就像我们曾见过的一样
与他一贯深沉忧郁的音乐风格相比,《You Want It Darker》仿佛金色的秋天,优美,丰饶,宁静,深邃,坦然迎接万籁俱寂。同样在这个专辑中,Cohen在歌里与神对话,检讨自己的内心:“I struggled with some demons,They were middle class and tame”(《You Want It Darker》)。他这样告诉我们:平庸与驯服,乃是内心的魔鬼;保持内心的自省和对精神世界的探索,才能走向永恒。