New York, 21 February 1963

Typed letter signed (“Leonard”) to Marianne Ihlen, New York, 21 February 1963.

One page, 305 x 185mm, aerogram.

An update on their relationship, as Cohen dances around his reluctance to commit—at least in conventional terms. “Well, darling, aren’t you going to answer me? I know it’s hard. You want my answer first... But it’s one of those questions that baffle me. You ask about marriage and I reply: I want to be with you.” He reminds her, "I've never left you for very long, but you never seem to be able to believe that."

"Well, here I am, after not too many months, asking you to come back to our house in Hydra. I want to live there for at least a half a year and when I leave I want you to come with me. I suppose that’s not much of an offer, because I don’t like to deal in offers, I suppose, but believe me, it is true and filled all my love. Come and be with me because I love you and I need you.”

He reports that he is leaving New York for Greece “in about ten days” and promises, "I will open our house and wait for you."

By descent from Marianne Ihlen.