I'd have to be really quick to describe clouds - a split second's enough for them to start being something else. Wislawa Szymborska More Quotes by Wislawa Szymborska More Quotes From Wislawa Szymborska Most of the earth's inhabitants work to get by. They work because they have to. They didn't pick this or that kind of job out of passion; the circumstances of their lives did the choosing for them. Loveless work, boring work, work valued only because others haven't got even that much, however loveless and boring - this is one of the harshest human miseries. And there's no sign that coming centuries will produce any changes for the better as far as this goes. Wislawa Szymborska passion earth jobs Life lasts but a few scratches of the claw in the sand. Wislawa Szymborska sand scratches lasts Whatever inspiration is, it's born from a continuous "I don't know. Wislawa Szymborska born inspiration writing Is a decision made in advance really any kind of choice? Wislawa Szymborska choices kind decision I cannot speak for more than an hour exclusively about poetry. At that point, life itself takes over again. Wislawa Szymborska hours speak Memory at last has what I sought. Wislawa Szymborska lasts memories Poets yearn, of course, to be published, read, and understood, but they do little, if anything, to set themselves above the common herd and the daily grind. Wislawa Szymborska grind common littles They say the first sentence in any speech is always the hardest. Well, that one's behind me, anyway. Wislawa Szymborska hardest speech firsts Though I may deny poets their monopoly on inspiration, I still place them in a select group of Fortune's darlings. Wislawa Szymborska ethos groups inspiration Keep up the good work, if only for a while, if only for the twinkling of a tiny galaxy. Wislawa Szymborska twinkling tiny good-work God was finally going to believe in a man both good and strong, but good and strong are still two different men. Wislawa Szymborska strong men believe No one in my family has ever died of love. What happened, happened, but nothing myth-inspiring. Wislawa Szymborska myth happened my-family Nothing can ever happen twice. In consequence, the sorry fact is that we arrive here improvised and leave without the chance to practice. Wislawa Szymborska workout practice sorry They say the first love's most important. That's very romantic, but not my experience. Wislawa Szymborska first-love important firsts Each of us has a very rich nature and can look at things objectively, from a distance, and at the same time can have something more personal to say about them. I am trying to look at the world, and at myself, from many different points of view. I think many poets have this duality. Wislawa Szymborska distance views thinking Their faith will make it easier for them to live and die. Wislawa Szymborska easier dies When I mention somebody, that doesn't necessarily mean that I identify with him, personally or poetically. I'm extremely happy when I encounter poets who are different than I am. The ones who have their own distinct poetics provide me with the greatest experiences. Wislawa Szymborska encounters different mean I prefer the hell of chaos to the hell of order. Wislawa Szymborska chaos hell order Poetic talent doesn't operate in a vacuum. There is a spirit of Polish poetry. Wislawa Szymborska vacuums talent spirit Existentialists are monumentally and monotonously serious; they don't like to joke. Wislawa Szymborska existentialist jokes serious