A masterpiece of post-war Polish literature, Stone Upon Stone is Wiesław Myśliwski’s grand epic in the rural tradition—a profound and irreverent stream of memory cutting through the rich and varied terrain of one man’s connection to the land, to his family and community, to women, to tradition, to God, to death, and to what it means to be alive.Wise and impetuous, plainspoken and compassionate Szymek, recalls his youth in their village, his time as a guerrilla soldier, as a wedding official, barber, policeman, lover, drinker, and caretaker for his invalid brother.Filled with interwoven stories and voices, by turns hilarious and moving, Szymek’s narrative exudes the profound wisdom of one who has suffered, yet who loves life to the very core.

    Expertly translated, the poem is divided into four parts -- Europe at the turn of the century, the condition of Polish culture between the two world wars, the harsh reality of World War II, and the role of the poet in the postwar world. Here Milosz addresses the failure of early-20th-century Polish poetry. With vast historical sweep and in language that enables readers to see "as if in a flash of summer lighting", Milosz offers a fascinating account of the mysterious art of poetry.