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The greatest cunning is to have none at all.

— Carl Sandburg Misattributed

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Source and credibility

Carl Sandburg very probably did not say this. Wikiquote lists it as misattributed.

Source: This line appears in section 94 of "The People, Yes" (1936), but that section contains many common proverbs and expressions not original to Sandburg which he is merely quoting within the poem, including this one.
Source quality: Precise citation Points to a specific work with a page, chapter, date or similar locator, so you can look it up.

More by Carl Sandburg

There are some people who can receive a truth by no other way than to have their understanding shocked and insulted.

In Reckless Ecstasy (1904)

The name of an iron man goes round the world.
It takes a long time to forget an iron man.

Love your neighbor as yourself but don't take down your fence.

I believe in everything — I am only looking for proofs.

Incidentals (1904)

Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits.

"Papa, what is the moon supposed to advertise?"

I tell you the past is a bucket of ashes.

Prairie (1918)

The Republic is a dream.
Nothing happens unless first a dream.

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More quotes by Carl Sandburg

Poetry is the opening and closing of a door, leaving those who look through to guess about what is seen during a moment.

"Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come."

A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.

Remembrance Rock (1948)

Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen.

Incidentals (1904)

Money is power, freedom, a cushion, the root of all evil, the sum of blessings.

All Carl Sandburg quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Carl Sandburg (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.