The New Yorker: Poetry cover image

Catherine Barnett Reads Wislawa Szymborska

The New Yorker: Poetry

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Embracing Radical Doubt and Uncertainty in Poetry

The poet admires Shomborska for embodying radical uncertainty and doubt in her works, appreciates the use of 'maybes' to convey uncertainty without the need for question marks, and values the poet's perspective as an authority on not knowing. Shifting from a journalist seeking authority to a poet embracing uncertainty allows for exploring the realms of doubt and unknown, which is exemplified in the poem Maybe All This by Vislaa Samborska.

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