leonardcohenforum.com

The two opening lines of this song are particularly poignant for me each time I listen:

"Hurt once and for all into silence.
A long pain ending without a song to prove it."

The flames about Klein's head in the drawing seem so appropriate, conjunct with the lyrics of this song....."And now the silent loony bin, where / The shadows live in the rafters like / Day-weary bats," ~ I know I show my ignorance asking before I even Google his name, but this song seems to suggest that Klein ended up in [at least a virtual] home for the aged, having lost his mental strengths, or even faculties, and where Leonard went to visit him. Can you anyone give a history of Klein's later years? He certainly seems to have been a much-admired and stern teacher, whose acceptance and respect Leonard always desired.

His final lines are equally poignant to his beginning ones:

"I have entered under this dark roof / As fearlessly as an honoured son / Enters his father's house."

Leonard's love for this man is unending.

~ Lizzy

As always, I can't remember where I read it but I think the 'loony-bin' thing is to be taken literally. I think Mr Klein withdrew from reality rather earlier than to a home for the aged.

Thanks, Linmag. Then, the home was literal for Klein, his own. His mental status was as I'd gleaned. Thanks.