The Fish Analysis

The Fish

Marianne Moore, 1887 - 1972

wade
through black jade.
       Of the crow-blue mussel-shells, one keeps
       adjusting the ash-heaps;
              opening and shutting itself like

an
injured fan.
       The barnacles which encrust the side
       of the wave, cannot hide
              there for the submerged shafts of the

sun,
split like spun
       glass, move themselves with spotlight swiftness
       into the crevices—
              in and out, illuminating

the
turquoise sea
       of bodies. The water drives a wedge
       of iron through the iron edge
              of the cliff; whereupon the stars,

pink
rice-grains, ink-
       bespattered jelly fish, crabs like green
       lilies, and submarine
              toadstools, slide each on the other.

All
external
       marks of abuse are present on this
       defiant edifice—
              all the physical features of
              

   accident—lack

       of cornice, dynamite grooves, burns, and
       hatchet strokes, these things stand
              out on it; the chasm-side is

dead.
Repeated
       evidence has proved that it can live
       on what can not revive
              its youth. The sea grows old in it.

Analysis

This poem by Marianne Moore was written in 1918, and titled "The Fish". It details scenery of the the ocean and sea-life. When originally viewing this poem, it seemed as if there was a lot of imagery that didn't connect together. As if it was all random and badly placed, this was very confusing and demanded a further analysis. After doing research and repeatedly re-reading the poem I came up with this analysis of the poem.

The transitions  are clear and smooth, they embody a lot of the raw entity of the poem which results in something that flows extremely well. The narrator has a very empty way of describing things, very real and without emotion. Everything is clear and understandable because, nature doesn't show sympathy for all the good you've done. Everyone dies, faces misfortune at some point; the narrator really try's to represent  this. This causes the poem to feel very authentic and every word to come alive.

The poem is set underwater in the ocean, and then it is briefly above the water while "The water drives a wedge of iron through the iron edge of the cliff". After this, the poem takes us to the stars, and then back to the ocean.  There is always a sense of rapidness and movement in this poem that makes it constant

In the 3rd stanza, there is an clear use of alliteration with all the "S" sounds (ex: sun, split, spun). The alliteration helps accent the sun's part in this poem and moves away from the cold and dark imagery that is found everywhere else.

If I was to rate this poems difficulty, I would give it a 7/10. It has a lot of imagery and not always obvious symbolism which makes it more than simply a fish swimming through water. A lot of things need to be re-read and analyzed to decipher this poem. It makes it a challenge to uncover all the rich secrets hidden within this 8 stanza poem. Because the poem is so descriptive and has so much buried into it, it makes it all worth it when you fully understand the meaning.

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