Hello Marianne
- Paula Coder McCarthy
- Sep 17, 2021
- 5 min read
Call me a non-conformist, hippie, or free spirit, but this picture seems to depict people living a heavenly lifestyle.
Friends gathered together on a beautiful Greek Island sharing their art - music, and poetry.
The man in the middle with the guitar is a young Leonard Cohen and the beautiful blonde across from him is Marianne.
But if you read the book So Long Marianne by Kari Hesthamar you will discover their way of life was anything but paradise. The group struggled at times to make sense of the world and took their frustrations out on each other. It sounds good in theory, but after reading the book I too struggle with the idea of a "perfect" creative life situation.
Is it possible to be balanced and creative at the same time?
Was Marianne happy?
In this picture, part of the group is sharing dinner.
The woman on the far left is Marianne and her child Axel (Axel’s father is not in the picture.) Next to Marianne, is the famous Leonard Cohen who met Marianne in the Greek village of Hydra in the 60s. They became lovers and some said Marianne was his muse who helped him develop self-awareness, write novels, and pen poetry that lead to his tremendous success down the road as a folk singer. Next to Leonard is an unidentified man, George Johnston, and Charmian Clift the “king and queen of the artists’ colony” (Sampson) are on the far right.
Yes, an artists’ colony. To be honest, that sounds sublime to me. Speaking of the word sublime, in November of 2009 I saw Cohen perform at The Midland in downtown Kansas City and he used that word several times. The crowd was sublime, Kansas City was sublime, the BBQ was sublime, etc. I will never forget it.
Here is what Scott Wilson from The Pitch said about that night.
“No one who was there will ever forget it” and I haven’t. At the age of 75, Cohen bounced around the stage and sang for over three hours. His gravelly voice intrigued me and his songs spoke to me. Many of his songs were familiar to me like “Hallelujah”, but many I had never heard before.
I have been a fan ever since.
Recently, I watched the documentary Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love (I checked the DVD out from the library, but I think you can watch it on AMAZON PRIME.) which lead to me reading the book So Long Marianne.
What really fascinates me is how they lived in this community with very few possessions in small homes. They would go to the market daily, make simple food, siesta, write/create, drink, make love, socialize with other artists, swim in the ocean, hike in the mountains, and get up the next day and do it all over again.
So many things about this lifestyle fascinate me. Simplicity is one thing. For me, writing is a very time-consuming proposition, and the simpler my life is the better. The less time I have to spend on food preparation, home maintenance, and self-maintenance the more time and energy I have to be creative.
The constant beauty of the place is another thing. To look out your window or walk out your door and see the white buildings, blue sea, flowers, and sunshine would be so positive for one's mind. And then add in the fellowship of other creative, free spirits. It sounds like a perfect scenario for an artist/writer.
The cost of living on the island at that time was minimal, but Leonard would travel back to Montreal and New York to secure book deals to make enough money to squeak by the first years of his life. When he was trying to be a novelist, fame and fortune did not roll in. Once he gave that up and focused on his songwriting his career took off.
But, back to Marianne.
Was Marianne happy?
I have been asking myself that question for several days.
She had the following:
Beauty
Multiple lovers
Lots of friends
Intelligence
Few possessions
A child
Marianne was most comfortable in a hand-me-down dress and no shoes. She wrote in a diary, but she never "published". People called her a muse. She would leave a gardenia on Leonard’s writing-table each morning and take care of his housekeeping and cooking so he could write. She took care of her child. Leonard loved her but ultimately left her - “So Long Marianne”. She was heartbroken, but she broke a few hearts herself. She experimented with drugs, alcohol and life. In the end, she settled down with a “normal” man and lived out her days in Oslo.
Would I want to be in Marianne’s shoes or in her bare feet?
She tried to be a model in Paris once, but the experiment ended badly.
It said over and over in the book and the articles I read that she was Leonard's muse or inspiration. The reason he “found” himself and his talent. In the book, it sounded like she loved doing this and she absolutely loved Leonard completely.
Leonard, in turn, helped her parent her child since the father of the child (another writer) left her soon after the child was born. And, he financially helped her for many years.
At one point, Leonard tried to get Marianne to do her own writing. It sounded like she was constantly writing in her diary and she loved talking with and supporting the other artists (she was a natural model and would pose nude for some of their artist friends).
Was she so busy taking care of everyone else that she never developed her own artistic abilities?
Something to think about.
She is a fascinating woman to think about. I am still pondering her and trying to figure her out.
An extraordinary woman behind an extraordinary man.
What are some of your thoughts?
Thanks for reading and be sure to listen to the song at the end of the post.
"So Long Marianne"
Come over to the window, my little darling,
I'd like to try to read your palm.
I used to think I was some kind of Gypsy boy
before I let you take me home.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.
Well you know that I love to live with you,
but you make me forget so very much.
I forget to pray for the angels
and then the angels forget to pray for us.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
We met when we were almost young
deep in the green lilac park.
You held on to me like I was a crucifix,
as we went kneeling through the dark.
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Your letters they all say that you're beside me now.
Then why do I feel alone?
I'm standing on a ledge and your fine spider web
is fastening my ankle to a stone.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
For now I need your hidden love.
I'm cold as a new razor blade.
You left when I told you I was curious,
I never said that I was brave.
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Oh, you are really such a pretty one.
I see you've gone and changed your name again.
And just when I climbed this whole mountainside,
to wash my eyelids in the rain!
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Here is the song sung by a young Leonard.
This is so interesting. I am going to check the book out.