W. H. Auden famously said, “Poetry makes nothing happen.”

When W. H. Auden said, “poetry makes nothing happen,” he suggested that poetry, as an artistic and expressive form, does not have direct power to bring about concrete, practical change in the world. He highlighted that while poetry might not have an immediate or tangible impact on shaping events or solving real-world problems, it still holds value in its ability to evoke emotions, provoke thought, and provide insight into the human experience.

When I first read the line, I imagined a comma after nothing. And that changed the meaning for me. Adding a comma after “nothing” – “poetry makes nothing, happen” could change the interpretation to suggest that poetry creates something meaningful out of nothing. It implies that poetry gives form and meaning to what might seem empty or insignificant.

This interpretation would be different from Auden’s original meaning. Still, I like my version better, which is what Auden intended us to do, which is pause and chew on the importance of nothing and what poetry can do.