Adam Zagejewski was a poet, essayist and novelist known as a prominent figure in the Polish New Wave or Generation of ’68.

During his career, among other accolades, he won the Prix de la Liberté and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.

His poem, Try to Praise the Mutilated World, became well known after it was published by The New Yorker following 9/11. In an interview in 2005, Zagajewski said: “It is about a double experience, on the one hand, of destruction and pain – and on the other hand, of joy, of art, of thinking.”

Listen to a reading of the poem here on the Radio 4 archives. It was part of a day of poems to celebrate the summer solstice back in 2017.

Writing

Yesterday was the summer solstice. The longest day of the year, marking the first day of summer and a turning point in the year.

What does that mean to you as you read it?

Start a piece of writing with the words ‘Yesterday, I…’ and see where it takes you.

We’d love to see what you come up with, if you’d like to share.

Photo by Cédric Le Bars on Unsplash