Poems about Fish

Goldfish are central to the imagery and meaning of the poem. Maggie initially suggests that the man get a bowl of goldfish because he cannot have other pets. Although he believes he cannot have them, the man talks in great detail about what his fish might look like and where he would get them. The goldfish are a metaphor for joy, hope, and new life. The choice to get goldfish is so significant that the speaker imagines the man being reborn as a goldfish after his death.

Maggie’s taking care of a man

who’s dying; he’s attended to everything,

said goodbye to his parents,

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 90/100

Kamikaze

by Beatrice Garland

‘Kamikaze’ by Garland delves into a pilot’s conflict between duty and life, exploring the harsh societal aftermath of his choice.

The fish serve an important function in 'Kamikaze' as they juxtapose the American soldiers that the pilot is tasked with attacking. Recalling his life as a fisherman, the pilot realises that fish are the kind of adversary he should have, rather than soldiers with whom he has no quarrel from half a world away. The sight of the fish below him serve as the spark that encouraged him to turn around and not complete his mission.

Her father embarked at sunrise

with a flask of water, a samurai sword

in the cockpit, a shaven head

full of powerful incantations

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 85/100

Invisible Fish

by Joy Harjo

‘Invisible Fish’ by Joy Harjo is a beautiful poem that illustrates time’s oppressive persistence on both the natural world and humankind.

Joy Harjo's poem uses a fish as a symbol of a past that no longer exists but is still persistently present. But they also represent living things that once inhabited an area whose ecology has changed to the point that it can no longer sustain them, a plight that is infinitely applicable to humankind as a whole.

Invisible fish swim this ghost ocean now described by waves of sand, by water-worn rock. Soon the fish will learn to walk.

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 72/100

Eel Tail

by Alice Oswald

Alice Oswald’s ‘Eel Tail’ explores nature’s elusiveness and mysteries through the enigmatic movements of eels that defy human understanding.

Mudfish (another name for eels) are described as 'short lead lengths of eels,' emphasizing their sleek form. Despite the speaker's attempts to observe them, the mudfish remain elusive, slipping away like shadows in the water as humans fail to grasp nature fully. Mudfishes are personified and depicted as creatures that 'love blackness, aloofness,' moving 'under cover of the unmoon,' symbolizing or working as examples of nature's enigma and unknown phenomena.

sometimes you see mudfish,

those short lead lengths of eels

that high at low tide

those roping and wagging,

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 66/100

At the Fishhouses

by Elizabeth Bishop

Through vivid detail and contemplation, ‘At the Fishhouses’ by Bishop explores the intricate bond between humans and nature.

Fish appear throughout the poem, not just as animals but as part of the speaker’s memory and experience. The smell of cod, the shimmer of herring scales, and the fisherman scraping them off show a life shaped by fishing. The poem treats these details with care, showing how fishing is both work and tradition. Even the smallest image, like the sequins on the fisherman’s vest, connects the fish to something meaningful and lasting in the poem.

Cold dark deep and absolutely clear,

element bearable to no mortal,

to fish and to seals . . . One seal particularly

I have seen here evening after evening.

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 56/100

Lampfall

by Derek Walcott

‘Lampfall’ by Derek Walcott dives deep into an investigation of thought, dreaming, community and connection while also implying that nature and thought are more meaningful than development.

The fish in 'Lampfall' by Derek Walcott is one of the most striking images within the poem. This fish, representing Walcott's wandering thoughts and fish-eye-lens perception of the world, motivates Walcott to think beyond the physical. He moves into a dream-like state, dragged by the fish into darker thoughts, as he contemplates the conflicting darkness and light of the natural world.

Closest at lampfall

Like children, like the moth-flame metaphor,

The Coleman's humming jet at the sea's edge

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 51/100

The Bait

by John Donne

‘The Bait’ by John Donne describes a speaker’s love and admiration for a woman. He emphasizes what her beauty and goodness are capable of.

Fish are used as a symbol in the poem. They represent people who are drawn to the beloved's beauty. The speaker says the fish are eager to be near her. This shows how naturally attractive she is. Fish help to explain how her beauty works.

Come live with me, and be my love,

And we will some new pleasures prove

Of golden sands, and crystal brooks,

With silken lines, and silver hooks.

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 30/100

The Fish

by Marianne Moore

‘The Fish’ by Marianne Moore uses imagery and form to objectively describe nature and humanity’s ability to survive and mature in the face of death, destruction, and loss.

Despite its title, 'The Fish' is not really about fish. Instead, it is about how each part of the ocean is like a cell or organ in a larger body that is the ocean. While it may sometimes be dark and have to confront death and destruction, this body always finds a way to encourage new life.

wade

through black jade.

Of the crow-blue mussel-shells, one keeps

adjusting the ash-heaps;

opening and shutting itself like

#10

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 20/100

Introit

by Gabriel Okara

‘Introit’ by Gabriel Okara is the first poem in his “The Fisherman’s Invocation” series about the conflict between modernity and tradition.

Fish, and fishing, are mentioned throughout this poem. But the act of fishing is not important, as they work as a symbol for reaching out to find some connection to the past. The poem urges people to search for these fish as a way to make a connection with their past.

Cast your net to the rightside

Nothing?

Nothing

10 Must-Read Poems about Fish

General

Poetry+

Discover

Useful Links

10 Must-Read Poems about Fish

by Elizabeth Bishop

by Mark Doty

by Beatrice Garland

by Joy Harjo

by Alice Oswald

by Elizabeth Bishop

by Derek Walcott

by John Donne

by Marianne Moore

by Gabriel Okara

Narrow Your Search

We Look Deep into Poetry

General

Poetry+

Discover

Useful Links