576 Quotes by Leonard Cohen

I stopped stopping and I stopped starting, and I allowed myself to be crushed by ignorance.

I’ve forgotten most of what I’ve read and, frankly, it never seemed very important to me or to the world.

Well, I’ve been waiting, I was sure we’d meet between the trains we’re waiting for I think it’s time to board another Please understand, I never had a secret chart to get me to the heart of this or any other matter.

I’m planning a catastrophe.

Love is the only engine of survival.

Listen, my friend, listen to the present, the right now, it’s all around us, painted like a target, red, white and blue. Sail into the target like a dart, a fluke bull’s eye in a dirty pub. Empty your memory and listen to the fire around you. Don’t forget your memory, let it exist somewhere precious in all the colours that it needs but somewhere else, hoist your memory on the ship of State like a pirate’s sail, and aim yourself at the tinkly present.

Most of the time one is discouraged by the work, but now and again by some grace something stands out and invites you to work on it, to elaborate it or animate it in some way. It’s a mysterious process.

Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove Dance me to the end of love...

And here you are hurried, And here you are gone; And here is the love, That it’s all built upon.