View With a Grain of Sand

WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE A remarkable, graceful collection from one of Europe’s most prominent and celebrated poets. In these 100 poems, Wislawa Szymborska portrays a world of astonishing diversity and richness, in which nature is wise and prodigal and fate unpredictable, if not mischievous. With acute irony tempered by a generous curiosity, she documents life's improbability as well as its transient beauty. "Wislawa Szymborska is not only one of the finest poets living today, but also one of the most readable. In these dazzling new translations Baranczak and Cavanaugh convey the full range of her wit and humor in poems that read as if they were written in English.” -Charles Simic This essential collection of world poetry explores the profound in the everyday: Philosophical Poetry: Find astonishing richness in the mundane, as Szymborska uses a grain of sand, a pair of monkeys, or a cat in an empty apartment to ask life’s biggest questions. Witty and Ironic Voice: Discover a unique perspective that tempers acute irony with a generous curiosity, documenting life’s improbability with a mischievous and knowing smile. Accessible Yet Profound: Praised by Charles Simic as one of the most readable poets, this collection features dazzling translations that feel as if they were originally written in English. Life, Death, and Everything in Between: Explore the full spectrum of human experience, from the joy of writing and the surprise of love to the aftermath of war and the quiet dignity of existence.