For many of us Leonard Cohen was the greatest songwriter of them all. Utterly unique and impossible to imitate no matter how hard we tried. He will be deeply missed by so many. – Nick Cave

I was so sad when Katie texted through the news. I purchased the ‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’ when I was still in uni. He has been a constant in my orb down through the decades. A few years back we saw him perform in Hobart. It was special reaching for Katie’s hand and holding it as he entered his irreplaceable voice into the strains of ‘Hallelujah’, the favourite song of many, along with ‘Suzanne’, ‘Bird on the Wire’ and countless other choices. Mine, though, was the song he opened his concert with that evening. It always makes me think of my beautiful Leigh and the life we share together – a life that I hope will go on and on till the end of time.

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic ’til I’m gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Oh, let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on
Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long
We’re both of us beneath our love, we’re both of us above
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I’m gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

Leonard Cohen’s Letter to his ‘So Long, Marianne’ Muse Before Her Death
‘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 .‘

She, his lover on a Greek island paradise during the 60s, reached out her hand when the missive was read to her. She passed two days later. And Leonard was right. He followed Marianne on up into the arms of Her beyond the horizon to the silver lining in the sky where they’ll both dance on – on until the end of love . RIP Leonard.