I really enjoyed reading Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell. Their relationship of writing a poem for one another reminds me of elementary school days where kids pass love notes. I preferred Bishop over Lowell, but they are both great.
“The Fish” was my favorite poem of our selections. Bishop’s detail for the fish made it realistic and more imaginable. She used the five hooks to show how many obstacles this one fish had to overcome and also incorporates metaphors/similes. Despite my preconceived notion of fish, Bishop made this particular fish sound beautiful. I have never been a big fan of fish and their looks; however, I do enjoy fishing. Bishop was able to take something that I think of as “gross” and turn my perspective into something else.
The speaker/fisherman played an important role in this poem. I liked the ending, in which the fisherman lets the fish go. It is as if he recognizes what this fish had been through and respected it. I’m not sure how someone can have respect for a fish, but if they did, I imagine this is what it would be like.
Bishop seems to be challenging the other stories in literature dealing with fishing. In her poem, there wasn’t an epic struggle that is often present in other stories. She puts a new spin on catching fish and veneration. The fish in Bishop’s poem “wins” and the fisherman is honored and takes pride in having had caught it.
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