The Pike

Amy Lowell seems to stay true to the imagist style of writing in the poem, "The Pike". It contains no apparent illusions and simply seems to vividly describe the fish in its natural habitat. From my understanding of the freshwater fish, it is usually described as being aggressive and not as beautiful as Lowell suggests in her poem. She places most of the emphasis of this poem on colors like, "a green- and- copper brightness," and "came the olive- green light;" which really makes it easier for the reader to imagine the image that she sees (199). The contrast between what I imagine when I think of a pike in comparison to the description that Lowell gives is sharp, but also shows both sides of the fish. The pike is beautiful in color but has been known for its predatory like hunting. Lowell seems to state this as well when she says, "A darkness and a gleam," seemingly discussing both natures of the fish.