"I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry"

John Cage’s statement, “I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry,” challenges conventional notions of meaning and artistic creation. He draws attention to the act of expression itself, stripping away the expectation that art, or poetry, must always deliver a clear message or profound insight. By asserting he has “nothing to say,” Cage acknowledges an absence, an emptiness that might elicit discomfort in a culture obsessed with meaning and purpose. Yet, despite this emptiness, he continues to speak; the very process of articulation becomes the focus, rather than the content.

Cage’s approach elevates the value of presence and attention over traditional content. He reminds us that saying something does not necessitate a preconceived meaning or intent; the act of speaking, writing, or creating holds intrinsic value. This perspective resonates with Cage’s broader artistic philosophy, rooted in chance procedures, indeterminacy, and embracing noise or silence as legitimate musical and poetic material. His notion reframes poetry, often seen as an art form laden with emotion, metaphor, and message, as the result of conscious participation in the moment, even when there is “nothing” to convey.

In everyday life, people frequently talk to fill silences, assert identity, or participate in social rituals. Cage’s words suggest that poetry can emerge from those very gestures, that beauty and significance reside not in what is said, but in the act of saying. This perspective links to ideas in Zen Buddhism, which Cage admired, where emptiness and presence are not contradictions but intertwined realities. To Cage, poetry is as much about attention, openness, and presence as it is about subject matter. His statement invites us to consider that saying nothing, or saying without intent, is a valid and even profound act of creation, reshaping our understanding of what poetry can encompass.