Jean Cocteau Quotes

Wealth is an inborn attitude of mind, like poverty. The pauper who has made his pile may flaunt his spoils, but cannot wear them plausibly.

We only serve as a model to the portrait of our fame

Mirrors should think longer before they reflect.

If a poet has a dream, it is not of becoming famous, but of being believed.

Disavow anyone who provokes or accepts the extermination of a race to which he does not belong.

Jeannot la bêtise des amoureux est immense, végétale, animale, astrale. Que faire? Comment te faire comprendre que je n'existe plus en dehors de toi.

Poetry is a machine that manufactures love. Its other virtues escape me.

Mettez un lieu commun en place, nettoyez-le, frottez-le, éclairez-le de telle sorte qu'il frappe avec sa jeunesse et avec la même fraîcheur, le même jet qu'il avait à sa source, vous ferez œuvre de poète. Tout le reste est littérature.

I only fear the death of others. For me, true death is that of the people I love

Children believe what we tell them. They have complete faith in us. They believe that a rose plucked from a garden can plunge a family into conflict. They believe that the hands of a human beast will smoke when he slays a victim, and that this will cause him shame when a young maiden takes up residence in his home. They believe a thousand other simple things.

I ask of you a little of this childlike sympathy and, to bring us luck, let me speak four truly magic words, childhood’s “Open Sesame”:

Once upon a time…

There is neither magic nor master's eye. Only a great deal of love and a great deal of work.

Art is science made clear.

The ultimate politeness in art consists of speaking only to those who are able to uncover and measure its relationships. Anything else is symbolic, and symbolism is merely transcendental imagery.

Without resistance you can do nothing.

People would say to Al Brown: "You are not a boxer. You are a dancer." He laughed at this, and won.