Wislawa Szymborska the polish poet who is well known for her relatability to the reader's

conscience through her literary work was granted with the Literature Nobel prize in 1996. In her
poem "The Terrorist, He is Watching" she captures the theme violence in the de humanized
world. And in a very authentic way she related the true sense of terrorism to us.

As the setting of the poem she has chosen a bar where in general innocent ordinary
people are seemed to be crowded. So the terrorist has already set the bomb in the bar who is
optunistic to accomplish his target of undergone confusion among the general public. In order
to emphasize the theme more relatable , the poetess has emerged with different types of
techniques in the poem. So let's pay attention to what were Wislawa 's skills of using
appropriate techniques.

With the usage of an ambiguous and suggestive title" The Terrorist, He is Watching" has
increased the curiosity in readers mind. Apart from that when enjoying the poem she has
managed to mention the time frequently by highlighting it.

“The bomb in the bar will explode at thirteen twenty

Now it just thirteen sixteen

Thirteen twenty minus ten seconds”

Sometimes she mentioned the time in minutes but when it comes to seconds it heightens the
tension and evokes the scary nature towards the terrorism. Now it is more obvious that Wislawa
has used countdown technique to build up the tension and urgency of the situation.

And from the beginning Szymborska has subjected the de humanized terrorist to an irony as
he has already crossed the street after setting the bomb in the bar and impatiently watching the
whole incident until his task is accomplished.

“The terrorist has already crossed the street

The distance keep him out of danger
What a view just like a movie”
In the above stanza the poetess used a simile by comparing this tragedy to a movie in the
thoughts of the terrorist. So this technique has applied a cinematic effect to the poem.

And in some instances Wislawa questioned us to emphasize the theme that our fate or
destiny decide that we are going to live or die.

“ Was she that dumb did she go in or not? "

Inclusion of a rhetorical question in here highlights the girl who is with a green ribbon' life is
decided under the fact of destiny. And no one apart from it , is able to save our lives from death.

In addition to that she has inserted various types of imagery to convey the massage of tragic
violence. Through the views appears on the eyes of the narrator and the terrorist vivid picture
of the appearance of the general public is expressed.

“A women in yellow jacket she is going

A man in dark glasses he is coming out
Teenagers in jeans they are talking”

This stanza proves the poetess, ability regarding the usage of visual imagery inside the poem to
woven the characters and behaviour of these ordinary uninformed public who is going to be the
victims of the violence. And used these victims to symbolise different types of social states and
different ages which depicts that nothing is considered for the eligibility for death.

After all in the last stanza at thirteen twenty bomb explosion was much more relative to readers
as the auditory imagery is activated.

“Any second now

No not yet
Yes now
The bomb it explodes “

Through the word explodes readers begin to feel that bomb has exploded with a heavy voice
and the tragedy has brought death to the ordinary innocent people.

When considering these facts it is much more confirmed that Wislawa Szymborska has used her
pen in an appropriate way to express the themes such as violence , de humanization which are
coming along with the terrorism activated in the contemporary society.