" 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。
