This article examines how Wisława Szymborska’s poetry utilizes conceptual metaphors to convey the complexities of life, death, and time through the lens of Lakoff and Johnson’s cognitive theory of metaphor. It highlights the poet’s originality and creative mastery in constructing metaphors that actively engage and challenge the reader’s interpretive skills. The study further illustrates that conceptual metaphor theory offers a robust framework for analyzing the subtlety, depth, and diversity of poetic expression.