Try to praise the mutilated world.
Remember June's long days,
and wild strawberries, drops of rosé wine.
The nettles that methodically overgrow
the abandoned homesteads of exiles.
You must praise the mutilated world.
You watched the stylish yachts and ships;
one of them had a long trip ahead of it,
while salty oblivion awaited others.
You've seen the refugees going nowhere,
you've heard the executioners sing joyfully.
You should praise the mutilated world.
Remember the moments when we were together
in a white room and the curtain fluttered.
Return in thought to the concert where music flared.
You gathered acorns in the park in autumn
and leaves eddied over the earth's scars.
Praise the mutilated world
and the gray feather a thrush lost,
and the gentle light that strays and vanishes
and returns.

Adam Zagajewski, "Try to Praise the Mutilated World" from Without End: New and Selected Poems. Copyright © 2002 by Adam Zagajewski. Used by permission of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, LLC, https://t.cn/AiBHNuYr All rights reserved.

And so the years passed．I learnt everything that Dr Strong and his teachers could teach me，and at seventeen，came to the end of my schooldays．My aunt suggested that，before decid ing what profession to choose，I should spend a month in Lon don or travelling round the country．This would give me time to consider my next step．I agreed enthusiastically，and al though I was sorry to say goodbye to my sweet friend Agnes and her father，I was looking forward to leading the life of an independent young gentleman．

One day when I was collecting my money from Wemmick，he invited me to his house at Walworth， a village outside Lon－don．
　　‘You don't mind walking there， Mr Pip？’he asked．‘I like to get some exercise if I can．For dinner we're having a roast chicken． I think it'll be a good one because I got it from one of our clients． I always accept any little presents from clients， especially if it's cash， or anything that can easily be changed into cash． You see these rings I'm wearing？ Given by clients， just before they died．All hanged， they were．By the way，I hope you won't mind meeting my aged parent？’