Poems New and Collected

What does it mean to say "I don't know"? Wisława Szymborska's Poems New and Collected presents the complete poetic works of one of the twentieth century's most beloved and philosophically profound poets—a Polish Nobel laureate whose witty, accessible verse explores life's deepest questions with humility, wonder, and ironic grace. Szymborska (1923-2012) wrote poetry that celebrates uncertainty and astonishment, finding profound meaning in ordinary things while questioning grand certainties with gentle skepticism. Her work combines intellectual depth with playful wit, philosophical inquiry with concrete observation, creating verse that is both deeply thoughtful and immediately engaging. Called "one of the great living European poets" by Robert Hass and "one of the finest poets living today" by Charles Simic, Szymborska captivates minds and hearts with her unique vision.

This definitive collection includes all 164 poems from her major works spanning 1957-1997, showcasing her evolution as a singular voice in world literature. Szymborska writes about everything—onions, clouds, dinosaurs, love, death, history, dreams—with equal curiosity and insight. Her poems ask: What does it mean to be human? How do we live with uncertainty? What can we know, and what must we accept we cannot know? She approaches big questions with humility and humor, celebrating the power of "I don't know" as the beginning of wisdom. Her voice is conversational yet profound, ironic yet compassionate, skeptical yet full of wonder at existence itself. The volume includes her complete Nobel acceptance speech, "The Poet and the World," a meditation on poetry, inspiration, and the courage to embrace uncertainty.

For contemplative readers, Szymborska's poetry offers profound meditation on wonder, uncertainty, and the examined life. Her work asks: How do we live wisely in a world we cannot fully understand? What does it mean to pay attention to ordinary things? How do we balance knowledge with humility? What is the relationship between certainty and wisdom? Szymborska's verse becomes a companion for philosophical contemplation—teaching us to question gently, observe closely, embrace uncertainty, and find astonishment in the everyday miracle of existence.

What You'll Discover
Szymborska's complete collected poems 1957-1997 (164 poems)
Nobel Prize-winning philosophical and witty poetry
Poems exploring uncertainty, wonder, and the human condition
Her Nobel acceptance speech "The Poet and the World"
Contemplative insights into knowledge, humility, and astonishment
One of Europe's greatest twentieth-century poets

Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012) was a Polish poet who became one of the most celebrated voices in world literature. She received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996 for "poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality." Living through World War II, Stalinism, and Poland's transformation, she wrote with wisdom earned through historical experience. This award-winning translation by Stanisław Barańczak and Clare Cavanagh (PEN Translation Prize) captures her distinctive voice with fidelity and lyrical grace.

Perfect for: Readers of contemporary poetry and European literature, students of Wisława Szymborska and Polish poetry, contemplative readers exploring philosophy and wonder, those interested in accessible yet intellectually deep poetry, anyone drawn to witty and wise verse, readers of Nobel Prize literature and world poetry, students of 20th-century poetry and philosophical contemplation.

Paperback edition. Szymborska's complete collected poems—offering contemplative wisdom on uncertainty, wonder, and the examined life through the witty, profound voice of Poland's Nobel Prize-winning poet.