Who said “Poetry makes nothing happen. It survives in the valley of its saying.”?

Verified

W. H. Auden. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"In Memory of W. B. Yeats", II

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "In Memory of W. B. Yeats", II.

APA

Auden, W. H. (n.d.). Poetry makes nothing happen. It survives in the valley of its saying. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/32741-poetry-makes-nothing-happen-it-survives-in-the/

MLA

Auden, W. H. “Poetry makes nothing happen. It survives in the valley of its saying.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/32741-poetry-makes-nothing-happen-it-survives-in-the/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Auden, W. H. “Poetry makes nothing happen. It survives in the valley of its saying.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/32741-poetry-makes-nothing-happen-it-survives-in-the/.