In these three poems, Wisława Szymborska analyzes the existential quandary of choice and reality against the human need for escapism by exploring the relationship between real life and the way it is constructed in drama, maps, and fiction.

In "Life While You Wait," Szymborska compares life to a play. This is a common comparison, but the poet uses it to emphasize the unrehearsed, spontaneous nature of life. There is endless opportunity in life, but, Szymborska concludes, while she has a free choice, as soon as she takes action, this act "will become forever what I've done." The imagery of a drama performance emphasizes both freedom and responsibility, as the poet comments on the comparative solidity of life:

I'm standing on the set and I see how strong it is.
The props are surprisingly precise.
The machine rotating the stage has been around even longer.
The farthest galaxies have been turned on.

In "Map," Szymborska examines a similar paradox of reality and representation, concluding that:

I like maps, because they lie.
Because they give no access to the vicious truth.

The aspects of life that are excluded from the symbolism of the map allow the poet to remain optimistic while still using the map as a guide to reality. Finally, in "Consolation," Szymborska uses the figure of Darwin, a man who dedicated his life to discovering truth, to explore the effects of fiction on the mind, defending "the indispensable silver lining" of the classical novel.