Elizabeth Bishop published “The Fish” in 1946 in her first collection of poetry, North & South, and ever since then the poem has been hailed as a key example of what Bishop does best: imagery. The anonymous speaker of “The Fish” has a keen eye for detail, and they’re able to communicate what they see in precise yet economical language. The poem takes place on an unnamed body of water in a rickety old boat. The speaker catches an impressively large fish, and as they pull “him” out of the water, they describe his appearance in vivid detail. As the speaker examines this fish with a sense of awestruck wonder, they notice that his skin looks aged and battered. They also find five old hooks still lodged in his jaw, each of which is trailing a broken piece of fishing line. This aged fish is clearly a survivor and has shown great resilience through several near-death experiences. As the poem reaches its conclusion, the speaker’s attention shifts to the interior of the boat, where oily bilge water is refracting light and illuminating everything with rainbow patterns. The speaker experiences a moment of jubilation, and in that instant, they decide to release the fish.

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