Kevin Roberts Poem The Fish Come in Dancing - Book Report/Review Example

Poetry Analysis: The Fish Come in Dancing Introduction Kevin Robert’s poem ‘The Fish Come in Dancing’ has been described as a working poem The Fish Come in Dancing’). In considering the poem’s generic conventions one notes a loose narrative, punctured by experimental and sometimes ambiguous descriptive imagery. The poem describes the actions of fish swimming in a body of water in great detail. It then considers the visceral qualities of fishermen who are attempting to reel the fish in and finding the experience one of great intensity. The poem then considers the act of gutting them and preparing the fish for their eventual consumption. Finally, the poem meditates on the nature of loving something that you nonetheless must kill. The poem’s is most conceivably narrated by the individual who has partaken in the fishing quest; whereas the poem’s tone and mood are best described as reveling in the intensities of the experience, as well as meditating on its more subtle elements. Indeed, one of its most penetrating stylistic devices is the means by which it implements its typographical features to create the visceral experience of fish darting in the water and the intensity of reeling them in. In interpreting the poem, this essay advances a detailed and in-depth analysis, focusing on both its structural and stylistic elements, and ultimately concludes with a personal evaluative critique. Analysis Kevin Robert’s poem ‘The Fish Come in Dancing’ begins in the first stanza, “the fish come in dancing” (Roberts, line 1). The line is a six syllable line that echoes the poem’s title. As is later seen this titular lines has important significance for the entirety of the poem as is also thematically echoed later in the poem. The poem continues in the first stanza, “iridescent/ dark torpedoes/ flurry of white silver” (Roberts, line 2-4). The use of iridescent in this context is an effectiveness imagistic choice as it accurately captures the fish’s visual description in one word. This last point is notable as the following line, “dark torpedoes,” while remaining only four syllables, is typographically longer, allowing the text to build from the one world ‘iridescent’ to the two word ‘dark torpedoes.’ The use of the term ‘dark torpedoes’ also is a powerful image for the fish as it adds a descriptive phrase that describes movement and one can now envision not only their iridescence, but the fishes’ movement through the water. The fishes’ movement is an important aspect of ‘The Fish Come in Dancing’ as it relates to both the poem’s title, as well as the way poet Kevin Roberts has structured his poem. The poem continues with the lines ‘flurry of white silver.’ As it builds further upon the descriptive phrases of the fishes’ movement in the water, the phrases have gradually grown – from the one word ‘iridescent’ to the four word ‘flurry of white silver;’ this functions to both operate as a means of building imagery, as well as varying the poem’s rhythm for reasons that will soon be revealed. The six syllables in this line also echoes the six syllables used in the poem’s title, and the opening line; this is a notable stylistic choice as author Kevin Roberts limits the syllable count to a maximum of six and they only occur in these noted instances. The poem continues in the first stanza with, “spray/ as they jump” (Roberts, line 5-6). Robert’s switch to the word ‘spray’ is significant as it functions both typographically and stylistically to differentiate itself from the previous three lines that had built to a crescendo with ‘flurry of white silver’. It’s these staccato like transitions that establish the poem’s underlining rhythmic features. The word ‘spray’ is also notable as it is the second instance where Roberts has used a one word descriptive phrase; this is a significant stylistic element that is thematic throughout the poem. It’s this structural and typographical form that Roberts utilizes to reconstruct the physical movement of the fish darting around, iridescently in the ocean. For instance, the a one word phrase is grows to two word, and then three in the third line, and then back down to one: it’s a stylistic feature that would be easy to ignore in another poem, but as Roberts indicates through the title this poem concerns dancing fish, the reader must be aware that they are being led to viscerally feel the fishes’ actions. Indeed, in On the Laws of the Poetic Art, Hecht notes the means by which poetic language can attain heightened effects through the connection of these methods of creating meaning. While the poem utilizes imagery and thematic recurrences in this tasks, perhaps the poem’s most important and underlining means of signifying textual meaning is accomplished throughout these typographical and structural elements. As the poem advances to the second stanza it continues, “pulling lines Len says/ Christ they’re strong” (Roberts, line 7-8). This section is significant in that it introduces the reader for the first time to an outside human element. For the first time the reader becomes aware that the poem is not simply a description of fish moving in the water, but that this description is occurring through the mediation of people fishing. The poem continues, “big silver muscle/ running from the boat” (Roberts, line 9-10). This is one of the more difficult images to unravel throughout the poem, as its note entirely clear whether Roberts intends for the images to be read as a continuous thought, or if they constitute separate images. In these regards, the ‘big silver muscle’ could be referring to either the fishermen’s muscles as they attempt to reel in the fish, or perhaps the fish itself. As the poem continues with ‘running from the boat’ a possible third interpretation is advanced – perhaps the big silver muscle represents the fishing line itself. While the objective reality is ultimately unknown, it’s this intended ambiguity that is a significant stylistic device. In the third stanza Roberts continues the poem, “nylon brands/ deep/ cuts on your fingers” (Roberts, line 10-12). This section continues with the stylistic and typographical themes that have been consistent throughout the poem, namely the staccato patterns that give the poem both stylistic panache and function to signify the physical dancing of the fish and supply the visceral sensation of fishing. It seems that literally these words are referring to the specific act of fishing and the intensity of this specific fish, as it causes cuts on the fingers through the fight to pull it in. While it technically represents a stanza unto itself, the next one word line, “cicatrices” functions in continuation with the third stanza, as it continues the descriptive phrases that contribute to the reader’s understanding of the intensity of the fishing engagement. Roberts use of this one line stanza is also an element of the word being unique, as it creates a more stylistic panache. Roberts concludes this stanza/section with, “your blood mixes/ with theirs” (Roberts, 13-14). This is a poignant use of imagery as the combination of blood has religious and spiritual implications. One can consider the Christian process of communion wherein the blood of the lord is symbolically consumed, or a transcendental meditation on the oneness of the universe. The act of the eventual consumption of the fish also plays into this interpretation. The collection of these staccato rhythms has the collective effect of constituting its own mode of poetry, referring more to an abstract or experimental reality than any objective unitary reality of narrative form. In the forth stanza Roberts continues the poem, “the fish come in dancing/ 50 coho heavy” (Roberts, 15-16). This stanza is significant as it returns to the titular line ‘the fish come in dancing.’ This is the second occurrence within the poem of this line – ‘the fish come in dancing’ – and in this instance it has a number of functions. The most central reason for its inclusion is that it signifies a transition period in the poem; the first section of the poem had explored the fish while they were still in the water and the eventual intensity of the catching of the fish, this new section explores what occurs in the aftermath. As such, the fish come in dancing, in this context, refers not to their swimming in the water, or fighting the fishermen trying to reel them in, but what occurs as they are brought into shore. While the line ’50 coho heavy’ only functions as a descriptive element, the idiosyncrasy of using the term coho for salmon gives the poem a regional feel. Poet Robert’s attention to this terminology makes the poem notable for its attention to working class dialect. The poem continues with this attention to regionalism in stating, “in the fishbox/ off Sangster/ and gas running low” (Roberts, line 17-19). These lines also function to supply further narrative details, such as the location of fish, and where they are being taken. The line ‘gas running low’ adds a dramatic and poetic twist to the phrase, giving the viewer further insight into the situation. In the fifth stanza Roberts continues the poem by writing, “clean them to the scream/ of seagulls” (Roberts, line 20-21). This stanza markedly shifts the tone and mood of the poem, as it is now less an element of a narrative about the challenging of reeling in a fish, and now about the act of its deconstruction. Roberts separation of the line ‘clean them to the screams’ functions to leave an ambiguous connotation to the line: it could refer to either the seagulls overhead, or perhaps even to the screams of the fish themselves as they prepare for their death. The poem continues, “blood & guts crawls/ into every crack” (Roberts, line 22-23). These lines highlight the nature of death; the lines also advance the transcendental theme that was described earlier in that the imagery describes the fish blood and guts falling back into the earth (crack). In the sixth stanza the poem continues, “you throw them up/ at Norpac & god/ they flop flat &/ dull/ rainbows on their sides/faded” (Roberts, (line 24-29). While these lines simply continue the narrative from the previous stanzas, they are significant in that continue the structural and typographical staccato form that is characteristic of the poem. In addition, the use of phrases such as Norpac & god further illustrate Robert’s attention to the regional dialect and idiosyncrasies of the narrative subject matter. Ultimately, the second half of the poem has been building towards the conclusion, where Roberts writes, “it gets harder to love/ the things/ you kill” (Roberts, line 30-32). This concluding stanza functions as a means of the poet to offer a thematic summation of the poem, as the previous stanzas had describe the experience of catching and then having to kill a fish. It also is a fitting conclusive stanza and phrase. Conclusion In conclusion, the poet Kevin Robert’s depiction of the working class fishing experience was effective in this poem. The poem’s regional concerns were also effective, as they demonstrated many idiosyncratic elements and regional dialect that separate the poem from other working class narrative poems. In addition, the means by which Kevin Roberts implemented structural and typographical effects, such as the staccato rhythmic patterning and varied metre was extremely effective in giving the reader the visceral feeling of the fish dancing in the water, as well as the experience of going fishing and intensely reeling in a fish. The second half of the poem that examines the act of bringing the fish in to prepare for eventual consumption was also effective in relaying an understanding the proximity that fishermen must share to the blood and guts and demise of the fish. Perhaps the only element that seemed somewhat contrived was the poem’s concluding stanza that seemed to function to indicate to the reader the poem’s thematic intentions. While some readers may appreciate the direct and simple way that Robert’s utilized this stanza, one can also argue that a more subtle approach would be more poetically effective in creating meaning in this situation. References ‘The Fish Come in Dancing’ (2009). Working Class Poems. http://workingclasspoems.blogspot.com/2009/07/fish-come-in-dancing.html Hecht, A. (1995) On the Laws of the Poetic Art. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Wayman, T. (1981). Going for Coffee: Poetry on the Job. Toronto: Harbour Read More