Cycles

The speaker in “Try to Praise the Mutilated World” adopts a holistic perspective while urging readers to do as the title of the poem suggests. In doing so, the speaker identifies cycles in terms of nature and events in human history. Embracing change as a constant force can renew readers’ perspectives and support them in praising a mutilated world. Cycles balance out the harsh realities of a painful world with the persistence of beauty and hope. Just as the refrain “try to praise the mutilated world” changes slightly each time it is repeated, Zagajewski suggests that cycles are not perfectly harmonious. Instead, they are a method of cultivating resilience despite destruction.

The poem begins with the first instruction to praise the mutilated world followed by reminders of summer’s seasonal delights. In the Northern Hemisphere, days are longer in the summer months of June, July, and...