The imagery used in this poem is nauseating. I do not have a weak stomach but reading about this fish riddled with hooks and struggling to breathe was too much for me to handle. Bishop's use of the words "infested (line 18)," "terrible (line 23)," "frightening (line 24)," and "entrails (line 31)" painted a graphic image of a pitiful, dying fish that disgusted her. The poem takes a turn towards the end when she is overcome by the fish's beauty and decides to release it.
This poem relates to the elderly. They come off as rough, worn and disposable but once their wisdom is realized, they are given respect.
