In her poem, Wisława Szymborska uses the metaphor of excavated statues to illustrate how memories can be fragmented and incomplete. Just as statues can lose their heads and become disjointed, our recollections can be distorted or lack essential details. This imagery reflects the nature of memory itself, where certain aspects of our past may remain vivid, while others fade away or become obscured over time.

Through this metaphor, Szymborska highlights the complexity of remembering. Memories are not always whole; they can be jumbled and confusing, much like the disfigured statues. This perspective invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with memory, acknowledging that what we recall may not always represent the full truth of our past. The poem encourages an introspective look at how we construct our personal histories from these fragmented recollections.