Jean Cocteau Quotes

"There are truths which one can only say after having won the right to say them."
-Jean Cocteau in Truth quotes.

"An artist cannot speak about his art any more than a plant can discuss horticulture."
-Jean Cocteau in Art quotes.

"The poet doesn't invent. He listens."
-Jean Cocteau in Poetry quotes.

"The instinct of nearly all societies is to lock up anybody who is truly free. First, society begins by trying to beat you up. If this fails, they try to poison you. If this fails too, they finish by loading honors on your head."
-Jean Cocteau

"When a work appears to be ahead of its time, it is only the time that is behind the work."
-Jean Cocteau in Work quotes.

"Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying."
-Jean Cocteau in Dying quotes.

"Art produces ugly things which frequently become more beautiful with time. Fashion, on the other hand, produces beautiful things which always become ugly with time."
-Jean Cocteau

"We must believe in luck. For how else can we explain the success of those we don't like?"
-Jean Cocteau in Luck quotes.

"You've never seen death? Look in the mirror every day and you will see it like bees working in a glass hive."
-Jean Cocteau in Dying quotes.

"Asking an artist to talk about his work is like asking a plant to discuss horticulture."
-Jean Cocteau

"The worst tragedy for a poet is to be admired through being misunderstood."
-Jean Cocteau in Poetry quotes.

"Art is science made clear."
-Jean Cocteau

"The extreme limit of wisdom-- that is what the public calls madness."
-Jean Cocteau

"The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth."
-Jean Cocteau

"I know that poetry is indispensable, but to what I could not say."
-Jean Cocteau