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Overview
“The Fish” is a poem written by the American poet Elizabeth Bishop
. The poem, which appeared in her debut collection of verse, North & South (1946), showcases one of the most impressive aspects of Bishop’s poetry: her use of imagery. The imagery in this poem relates to the detailed description of a big fish, freshly caught from the speaker’s rickety fishing boat. Though awestruck by the fish’s raw vitality, the speaker also notes several hooks embedded in “his” aged and battered skin. Thus, in addition to offering an exuberant celebration of life, the poem also reflects on themes of resilience and survival.Read a summary & analysis, an analysis of the speaker, and explanations of important quotes from “The Fish.”
