Contents
Wisława Szymborska
Writing precise, ironic poems that find large questions in ordinary situations.
Calling Out to Yeti · Salt
- Born
- 2 July 1923
- Birthplace
- Bnin, Poland
- Died
- 1 February 2012
More people
Wisława Szymborska
Wisława Szymborska was a Polish poet whose accessible language opens into questions about chance, knowledge and existence.
Early life
Kraków
Moved there during childhood and made it her lifelong base.
Study
Attended underground classes during occupation and later studied at university.
Career
- 1945
Poetic debut
Published her first poem.
- 1950s–1980s
Literary work
Combined poetry with editing, reviews and translation.
- 1996
Nobel Prize
Received the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Selected work
Calling Out to Yeti
Marked a shift from her early political verse.
Salt
Developed her questioning, ironic voice.
Could Have
Explored contingency and the possibilities within ordinary life.
Beyond work
Collages
Made playful visual collages and postcards.
Translation
Translated French poetry into Polish.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Nobel Prize biography and award ↗Photo: Mariusz Kubik. CC BY 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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