"I think it comes from really liking literary forms. Poetry is very beautiful, but the space on the page can be as affecting as where the text is. Like when Miles Davis doesn't play, it has a poignancy to it"

In the quote by Jim Jarmusch, a filmmaker known for his distinctive and artistic storytelling, he juxtaposes literary kind with musical and visual artistry to emphasize the power of absence and area in art. Jarmusch reveals an appreciation for how the structure and design of written text can contribute as much to its effect as the words themselves. The idea here resonates with ideas in both poetry and other art forms where the unfavorable area (or silence) plays an important role in specifying the piece's emotional and aesthetic appeal.

Jarmusch draws a parallel to jazz legend Miles Davis, renowned for his ingenious use of silence and sparse notes, recommending that what is not played, or what is left unsaid, can typically evoke much deeper emotions. This allusion to Davis highlights the concept that the lack of noise, or when it comes to poetry, the blank locations of a page, can create a poignant result, permitting the audience to complete the gaps with personal analysis or self-questioning. The areas between words in a poem can allow the reader to stop briefly, think, and feel, just like the area between notes in a piece of music can heighten psychological strength.

Moreover, Jarmusch's commentary implicitly acknowledges that art, whether literary or musical, is not almost the material or the notes themselves but about the general experience they create. These kinds of art engage audiences by inviting them to communicate with the work, not simply passively consume it. By comparing this aspect of poetry to an artist's intentional use of silence, Jarmusch emphasizes how exceptionally impactful the unseen or unheard portions of an art work can be, forming its rhythm, texture, and emotional resonance in unforeseen ways. Therefore, the quote encourages a gratitude for the subtleties and complexities of art that lie beyond the apparent or specific, welcoming a deeper understanding of the interplay in between form, content, and silence.