instead turning to what it truly is. When con-
fronted with the question of what poetry is,
exactly, Szymborska embraces a willful ignorance.
While acknowledging that many answers have
been put forth to address the question, she does
not list any of these possible answers, as she has
done in the second stanza in listing the possible
ways things may be liked. Rather, she simply
states her preference fornot knowingwhat poetry
is. The not-knowing offerssalvation, something
she clutches like a tangible support, or a lifeline.
The connotation is one bordering on desperation.
The desire to retain an idea of poetry that cannot
be inscribed by concrete boundaries is suggested
by the poet’s refusal to even attempt an explana-
tion of poetry. Such a limitless view of the nature
of poetry may provide Szymborska with the
redemption she speaks of, and perhaps explains
the value and the purpose of poetry for her.
Language and Meaning
Szymborska’s approach to exploring the nature
and purpose of poetry is one in which her focus
on multiplicity of meaning is revealed. Just as
she emphasizes the various ways in which poetry
in general may be perceived by the reader, Szym-
borska also suggests the myriad ways in which
individual words may be understood. Regarding
Szymborska’s use of the word ‘‘like,’’ for exam-
ple, one perceives the many shades of meaning
conveyed by the word. For Szymborska, lan-
guage is not locked into a concrete set of con-
ventions; rather, there is a disconnect between
word and meaning, between symbol and that
which is symbolized. While some writers may
exploit this disassociation between language
and meaning in order to highlight a sense of
loss, Szymborska seems to glory in the possibil-
ities. Her poem, in its positive tone and emphasis
on redemption, underscores the fullness of the
potential of language rather than mourning an
absence of understanding in the gap between
language and meaning.STYLEFree Verse
Szymborska’s ‘‘Some People Like Poetry’’ is an
example of a free-verse poem. It lacks a pattern
of accented and unaccented syllables (known as
meter). Rather than following a metrical rhythm
in her poem, Szymborska employs the rhythm of
natural speech. Additionally, free-verse poems
such as ‘‘Some People Like Poetry’’ are unrhymed.
The lengths of the lines, in turn, are irregular,
another hallmark of free-verse poetry. These ele-
ments combine to give Szymborska’s poem an
easy conversational tone. It is as if the reader is
speaking with the poet,or at least hearing her
think out loud.Irony
Szymborska’s poem employs verbal irony. Irony
is a figure of speech in which the way a sentiment
is expressed stands in contrast to what is actually
meant or what the reader expects. Szymborska
uses irony in several ways in this poem. While as
a free-verse poem ‘‘Some People Like Poetry’’
lacks formal structure, rhythm, and rhyme, and
even though Szymborska’s tone is light and
conversational, the poem nevertheless tackles
the weighty philosophical issues of the nature
and purpose of poetry. In the first stanza, Szym-
borska attempts to identify the number of people
who truly like poetry. She discounts students inChicken noodle soup(Image copyright ifoto, 2009. Used under
license from Shutterstock.com)
Some People Like Poetry