Harry Crosby Quotes

Powerful Harry Crosby for Daily Growth

About Harry Crosby

Harry Crosby (1898-1929) was an American poet and publisher, renowned for his passion for love, adventure, and the macabre. Born on August 24, 1898, in Boston, Massachusetts, to a wealthy family, Crosby's early life was characterized by privilege and opulence. However, it was the experiences of his youth that would shape his literary sensibilities. At the age of 17, Crosby visited Paris for the first time, where he met expatriate artists such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. This encounter marked a turning point in his life; influenced by their bohemian lifestyle and creative spirit, Crosby decided to abandon his law studies and pursue a career in literature. In 1924, Crosby married the wealthy socialite Caresse Crosby (née McClellan), who would become his muse and collaborator. Together they established Black Sun Press, one of the most important small presses of the interwar period. Their publishing house produced works by authors like James Joyce, Djuna Barnes, and Aldous Huxley. The Crosbys' marriage was marked by an intense love affair filled with extravagance, travel, and experimentation. This relationship provided fertile ground for Harry's most famous work, "Transitional Poems" (1926), which reflects the tumultuous emotions of their bond. Tragically, on October 30, 1929, while on a trip to Bermuda, Harry Crosby committed suicide at the age of 31. His death was a shocking loss to the literary world, leaving behind a body of work that continues to captivate readers with its raw intensity and emotional depth. Crosby's legacy extends beyond his written works; he remains an important figure in the history of modern American literature due to his contributions as a publisher and his influence on authors such as Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and others.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The only reality is art."

Harry Crosby's quote suggests that he views reality not in a literal or physical sense, but rather as an artistic creation or expression. This perspective implies that life itself, much like a work of art, has no inherent meaning or truth beyond what we choose to perceive, imagine, and create. In essence, Crosby encourages us to see the world through an artistic lens, finding beauty and significance in our individual interpretations and creations.


"I would rather have roses on my table than pearls in my purse."

The quote implies a preference for experiencing beauty, love, or simple pleasures over accumulating material wealth or possessions. It suggests that the author values emotional richness and personal satisfaction over financial prosperity. This quote encourages prioritizing life experiences, relationships, and beauty in one's immediate environment over pursuing tangible wealth.


"Love is a fever, love is a madness."

This quote suggests that love is intense, passionate, and perhaps even irrational or all-consuming, much like a fever or a state of madness. It implies that love can take over one's thoughts, emotions, and actions, often with an overwhelming intensity that feels beyond normal control.


"In dreams we meet the real friends."

This quote suggests that our subconscious mind, which is tapped during dreaming, can bring forth connections to people who are truly meaningful or significant in our lives. The "real friends" could refer to those individuals who have a profound impact on us, align with our values, or help us grow as persons. Thus, dreams might be a way of bridging the gap between our conscious and subconscious self, allowing us to interact with these important figures even when they are physically absent.


"Art should be the mirror held up to nature, but it's not just a reflection, it's an interpretation." - Harry Crosby

Harry Crosby's quote suggests that art is not merely an imitation of nature or reality; rather, it is a creative interpretation of it. This means that artists don't just mimic the world around them, but they express their unique perspectives, emotions, and ideas through their work. In this way, art serves as a window into the artist's mind, offering glimpses of their thoughts and feelings about the world, as well as providing new ways to understand and appreciate it.


I have invited our little seamstress to take her thread and needle and sew our two mouths together.

- Harry Crosby

Thread, Invited, Our, Sew

Though we hear various reports of his existence we can never find the young wizard who is able so they say to graft the soul of a girl to the soul of her lover so that not even the sharp scissors of the Fates can ever sever them apart.

- Harry Crosby

Soul, Young, Reports, Sharp

I have asked the village blacksmith to forge golden chains to tie our ankles together. I have gathered all the gay ribbons in the world to wind around and around and around and around and around and around again around our two waists.

- Harry Crosby

Chains, Again, Gathered, Ankles

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