Marianne Ihlen, known for being the inspiration behind Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen's hits "So Long, Marianne", and "Bird on a Wire" died last month at the age of 81. Cohen marked her death with an emotional letter, made public on Tuesday, in which he told her that he will "follow [her] very soon". The letter was read out to Ihlen during her last days by close friend and documentarian Jan Christian Mollestad, and later repeated at her memorial service.
Mollestad told Cohen, "Your letter came when she still could talk and laugh in full consciousness. When we read it aloud, she smiled as only Marianne can. She lifted her hand, when you said you were right behind, close enough to reach her."
The letter read, "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.”
Cohen and Ihlen dated in Greece the 1960s.
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