NOBEL PRIZE LAUREATE IN LITERATURE 1996 Doctor Honoris Causa Universitatis Studiorum Mickiewiczianae Posnaniensis
3 października 1996: Wisława Szymborska urodzona w Bninie (Kórnik) koło Poznania została Laureatką Nagrody Nobla w dziedzinie literatury za "poezję, ktora z ironiczną precyzją pozwala wydobyć historyczny i biologiczny kontekst fragmentów ludzkiej rzeczywistości"	"Jestem uradowana, oszołomiona i przestraszona." AP "I am very happy, stunned and frightened."	October 3, 1996: Wislawa Szymborska born at Bnin (Kornik) near Poznan, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for "poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality"

Cat in an empty apartment	Kot w pustym mieszkaniu	Cat in an empty apartment
	Wisława Szymborska, 1993
Dying - you wouldn't do that to a cat. For what is a cat to do in an empty apartment? Climb up the walls? Brush up against the furniture? Nothing here seems changed, and yet something has changed. Nothing has been moved, and yet there's more room. And in the evenings the lamp is not on. One hears footsteps on the stairs, but they're not the same. Neither is the hand that puts a fish on the plate. Something here isn't starting at its usual time. Something here isn't happening as it should. Somebody has been here and has been, and then has suddenly disappeared and now is stubbornly absent. All the closets have been scanned and all the shelves run through. Slipping under the carpet and checking came to nothing. The rule has even been broken and all the papers scattered. What else is there to do? Sleep and wait. Just let him come back, let him show up. Then he'll find out that you don't do that to a cat. Going toward him faking reluctance, slowly, on very offended paws. And no jumping, purring at first. Translated by Joanna Trzeciak	Umrzeć - tego się nie robi kotu. Bo co ma począć kot w pustym mieszkaniu? Wdrapywać się na ściany? Ocierać między meblami? Nic niby tu nie zmienione, a jednak pozamieniane. Niby nie przesunięte, a jednak porozsuwane. I wieczorami lampa już nie świeci. Słychać kroki na schodach, ale to nie te. Ręka, co kładzie rybę na talerzyk, także nie ta, co kładła. Coś się tu nie zaczyna w swojej zwykłej porze. Coœ się tu nie odbywa jak powinno. Ktoś tutaj był i był, a potem nagle zniknął i uporczywie go nie ma. Do wszystkich szaf sie zajrzało. Przez półki przebiegło. Wcisnęło się pod dywan i sprawdziło. Nawet złamało zakaz i rozrzuciło papiery. Co więcej jest do zrobienia. Spać i czekać. Niech no on tylko wróci, niech no się pokaże. Już on się dowie, że tak z kotem nie można. Będzie się szło w jego stronę jakby się wcale nie chciało, pomalutku, na bardzo obrażonych łapach, i żadnych skoków, pisków na początek.	Die - you can't do that to a cat. Since what can a cat do in an empty apartment? Climb the walls? Rub up against the furniture? Nothing seems different here, but nothing is the same. Nothing has been moved, but there's more space. And at nighttime no lamps are lit. Footsteps on the staircase, but they're new ones. The hand that puts fish on the saucer has changed, too. Something doesn't start at its usual time. Something doesn't happen as it should. Someone was always, always here, then suddenly disappeared and stubbornly stays disappeared. Every closet has been examined. Every shelf has been explored. Excavations under the carpet turned up nothing. A commandment was even broken, papers scattered everywhere. What remains to be done. Just sleep and wait. Just wait till he turns up, just let him show his face. Will he ever get a lesson on what not to do to a cat. Sidle toward him as if unwilling and ever so slow on visibly offended paws, and no leaps or squeals at least to start. Translated by Stanislaw Baranczak & Clare Cavanagh

The Nobel Diploma of Wislawa Szymborska

The Nobel Foundation Release	Wislawa Szymborska Kolekcja Krakowska Skarbnica literatury polskiej	The Nobel Prize Internet Archive
The Nobel Foundation Announcement	Unofficial page	CNN Report