by Anna Swir
i.m. Anna Ratyńska
“This order must be delivered within an hour,”
said the major.
“That’s not possible, it’s an inferno out there,”
said the second lieutenant.
Five messenger girls went out,
one made it.
The order was delivered within one hour.
Translated from the Polish by Piotr Florczyk

Anna Świrszczyńska (1909–1984) was a renowned Polish poet celebrated for her vivid and powerful poetry. Born in Warsaw, Świrszczyńska’s work spans from early modernist experiments to deeply personal and political reflections. Her notable collections include Building the Barricade (1974) and Talking to My Body (1976), which address themes of war, trauma, and the female experience with striking honesty and emotional depth. Her poetry often reflects her experiences as a resistance fighter during World War II and her observations of post-war Polish society. Świrszczyńska’s innovative use of language and her focus on the personal and collective aspects of human experience have earned her a lasting place in Polish literature.
