The Laws of Nature

About the Book

The Laws of Nature (Prawa natury) is a volume of poetry by Ryszard Kapuściński, published in 2006 — his second collection of verse after Notes, by an author known chiefly for his reportage. It appeared shortly before the writer’s death and is among his last books.

In these poems Kapuściński the poet remains faithful to his reporter’s attentiveness, but turns it inward and towards ultimate matters. The title announces the volume’s central motif: the laws of nature understood both literally — as the rhythm of nature, of transience and death — and metaphorically, as the inexorable rules governing human fate. It is concentrated poetry, sparing in its words, full of contemplation on the fragility of existence, on memory and the passage of time.

The poems of The Laws of Nature complement the author’s reportage — they show him as a man who, after years of observing the world, turns to the most personal questions. It is an intimate, hushed farewell of a great writer to his reader, and proof that a poetic sensibility accompanied Kapuściński throughout his life.

Themes

• Transience and death
• The rhythm and laws of nature
• Memory and the passage of time
• The fragility of human existence

Message

An intimate, hushed farewell of a great writer to his reader.

Polish Editions

See the list of Polish editions of The Laws of Nature with ISBN numbers.