Pike by Ted Hughes, Poem, Analysis, Summary, Style, Themes
In Ted Hughes ' poem "Pike," the speaker delves into the eerie and mesmerizing world of the pike, a predatory fish. The poem explores the pike's menacing presence, its grandeur in its watery realm, and its ability to strike fear into other creatures. Through vivid imagery and a sense of foreboding, Hughes captures the essence of these formidable creatures lurking beneath the surface of a pond, while the speaker contemplates their ancient existence and the darkness that surrounds them.
Pike by Ted Hughes
Pike, three inches long, perfect
Pike in all parts, green tigering the gold.
Killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin.
They dance on the surface among the flies.
Or move, stunned by their own grandeur,
Over a bed of emerald, silhouette
Of submarine delicacy and horror.
A hundred feet long in their world.
In ponds, under the heat-struck lily pads-
Gloom of their stillness:
Logged on last year’s black leaves, watching upwards.
Or hung in an amber cavern of w…