“Poetry makes nothing happen.”
What this quote means
This provocative statement by W. H. Auden (in his poem 'In Memory of W. B. Yeats') asserts that poetry has no direct effect on the concrete world: it doesn't change laws or feed the hungry. But this apparent uselessness is a strength: poetry acts deeply, on consciousness and sensibilities. It doesn't 'do' anything, but it 'is' something—a presence that slowly transforms our perception of the world.
How to apply it daily
Read a poem today, even a short one. Let it infuse in you without seeking immediate utility, and notice its effect on your state of mind.
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