The dedication of Cohen's "Isaiah"

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
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lschwart
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The dedication of Cohen's "Isaiah"

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In The Spice-Box of Earth, Cohen dedicated the poem "Isaiah" to "G.C.S." Does anyone know the identity of the dedicatee?

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Louis
Louis Schwartz

"The sea so deep and blind/ The sun, the wild regret/ The club, the wheel, the mind,/ O love, aren't you tired yet?" Leonard Cohen, "The Faith."

https://english.richmond.edu/faculty/lschwart/

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lschwart
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Re: The dedication of Cohen's "Isaiah"

Post by lschwart »

Just a bump in hopes someone might know!

Louis
Louis Schwartz

"The sea so deep and blind/ The sun, the wild regret/ The club, the wheel, the mind,/ O love, aren't you tired yet?" Leonard Cohen, "The Faith."

https://english.richmond.edu/faculty/lschwart/

https://www.facebook.com/mysonthedoctorRVA/

https://www.youtube.com/user/mysonthedr
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B4real
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Re: The dedication of Cohen's "Isaiah"

Post by B4real »

Hi Louis,
Sorry to say that I don’t know the answer to your question and judging from the response, I don't think anyone else does either! It would be nice to know for sure who it is.

You may already know this, but I can give you the name of someone with the initials G.S. that Leonard had close contact with at that time and he did in fact use that person as a muse for two other poems in this book – “For Anne” and another one which escapes my memory at the moment; ah, I think it’s “Now of Sleeping”. Her name is Georgianna Sherman (don’t know her middle name or if she had one) but Leonard called her Anne or Annie. Those two poems are so different in subject matter to "Isaiah for G.C.S." (except for one verse) – and she does have black hair :)
I doubt very much and would be most surprised if the whole poem relates to her. But just for the record, that’s my thoughts.
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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lschwart
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Location: Richmond, VA

Re: The dedication of Cohen's "Isaiah"

Post by lschwart »

Thank you so much for the suggestion! As you say, she's not someone I'd associate with this particular poem, although her importance to those two you mention (and a few others as well) is certainly clear. I'll have to think more about it and see if there are any other dots I can (or can't) connect.

The possibility that pure metal black haired beloved is based on her (or on some other biographical lover) is certainly intriguing, although I'm not sure how far it makes sense to take the idea.

Louis
Louis Schwartz

"The sea so deep and blind/ The sun, the wild regret/ The club, the wheel, the mind,/ O love, aren't you tired yet?" Leonard Cohen, "The Faith."

https://english.richmond.edu/faculty/lschwart/

https://www.facebook.com/mysonthedoctorRVA/

https://www.youtube.com/user/mysonthedr
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