Poem: The Pike

Amy Lowell's "The Pike" is a vivid and striking poem that captures the essence of a predatory fish. Known for her imagist style, Lowell uses vivid imagery and precise language to create a sense of awe and fear.

The poem centers around a pike, a large, fearsome freshwater fish. Lowell describes the pike's menacing presence, its sharp teeth, and its predatory nature. The poem often evokes a sense of danger and the raw power of the natural world.

Through her evocative language, Lowell invites the listener to contemplate the beauty and brutality of nature, and the delicate balance between predator and prey.

Transcript

In the brown water,

Thick and silver sheened in the sunshine.

Liquid and cool in the shade of the reeds,

A pike dozed.

Lost among the shadows of stems,

He lay unnoticed.

Suddenly he flicked his tail and a green and copper brightness ran under the water.

Out from under the reeds came the olive green light and orange flashed up through the sun-thickened water.

So the fish passed across the pool,

Green and copper,

A darkness and a gleam,

And the blurred reflections of the willows on the opposite bank received it.

Reviews

Really enjoyed experiencing all of the colours 🙏🏼💚🌿

Thank you for sharing all of these wonderful, evocative poetry readings! ❤️