New York, 9 April 1967

Typed letter signed (“Leonard”) to Marianne Ihlen ("Darling"), [New York] 9 April [postmarked 1967].

One page, 280 x 215mm; with transmittal envelope addressed to “Mrs Marianne Ihlen Cohen.”

A fabulous letter written from Bleeker Street, with mentions of Nico and Andy Warhol. “I put steel strings on my guitar, that’s like changing from underwear to armour, that’s New York City. Given up plans for sainthood, revolution, redemptive visions, music mastery, just the ageing man with a notebook.” He reports that “someone in Hollywood wants to buy Suzanne. Leon Bibbs wants to do an album called Suzanne and Mostly Cohen. Buffy Ste Marie doing Stranger and a new song. Nico, Andy Warhol’s star, recording a new song called The Jewels in Your Shoulder.” Nico would inspire Cohen's song "Joan of Arc" on his 1971 album Songs of Love and Hate. Though his music career is off to a strong start, he has not abandoned poetry: “Very anxious to write a book before it starts."

He refers to his and Marianne's "mysterious enduring love" and describes life in New York: “Walking through the city, insisting that no one follow, feeling either black or golden, dead to lust, tired of ambition, a lazy student of my own pain, happy about the occasional sun, thin and dressing very shabbily, hair out of control, feeling good tonight as I write my perfect friend.” He closes, “Isn’t it curious and warm to grow old in each other’s life?”

By descent from Marianne Ihlen.