Harold Hart Crane (1899-1932) was born in Garrettsville, Ohio and became a significant voice within modernist American poetry of the first half of the twentieth century. Though without a college education and dissuaded from a career in poetry, Crane moved to New York City to write, where he met other prominent writers of the time, such as E. E. Cummings, Jean Toomer and Katherine Anne Porter. He was influenced by both the contemporary currents in poetry, such as T.S. Eliot, and his early affinity for nineteenth-century French poets, like Arthur Rimbaud. Most of his published material was written between 1924 and 1926. Crane's work was impacted by his difficulties with alcohol use and the homophobia he experienced. In 1930, he received acclaim and distinction from the publication of "The Bridge," his book-length poem that depicts New York City and his outlook on America in general. Crane had struggled to complete "The Bridge," and when he found himself particularly at a loss, he sought inspiration by traveling to an island near Cuba and Europe. Crane temporarily settled in Mexico from 1931 to 1932 on a Guggenheim Fellowship.