Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Goldfish" by Howard Nemerov is a contemplative and richly descriptive poem that uses the confined lives of goldfish as a metaphor for human existence, particularly focusing on themes of captivity, alienation, and the illusions of freedom and purpose.

The poem begins with a vivid image of the goldfish: "The bearded goldfish move about the bowl / Waving disheveled rags of elegant fin." This imagery juxtaposes the grandeur suggested by "elegant fin" with the more forlorn "disheveled rags," setting up a tone of faded splendor and restrained elegance.

Their "mandarin / Manner of life, weary and cynical," portrays the goldfish as aristocratic yet jaded, their refined demeanor mocking the simplicity and monotony of their existence within the confines of a fishbowl. The use of "mandarin" evokes images of Chinese nobility, suggesting a life of idle luxury that has turned into a form of ennui.

The goldfish's existence is a "rebuke" to "the round world that has kept them in / Glass bubbles with a mythological / Decor of Rhineland castles on a shoal / Of pebbles pink and green." Here, the poem criticizes the artificiality of the fish's environment, which is a miniature, fantastical world designed by humans. The "Rhineland castles" and colorful pebbles symbolize the human tendency to create elaborate but ultimately meaningless settings, mirroring the superficiality and triviality of certain aspects of human life.

Nemerov then uses a striking simile: "Like light in gin, / Viscous as ice first forming on a stream," to describe the fish's movements. This comparison highlights the slow, thick, and somewhat mesmerizing quality of their movement, evoking a sense of entrapment in a medium that is both transparent and limiting.

The goldfish "fan them on to no / Remarkable purpose; they close their eyes / As, mouths reopening in new surprise / About their long imprisonment in 0." This passage emphasizes the futility and repetitive nature of their existence. Their actions are cyclical and devoid of any significant outcome, akin to the human experience of routine and the search for meaning within repetitive patterns of life.

The closing lines, "They cruise the ocean of an alien dream," reinforce the theme of alienation. The fish are navigating a world that is entirely constructed and foreign to their natural instincts and desires. This metaphor extends to the human condition, suggesting that people, too, often find themselves adrift in environments that feel artificial and disconnected from their true nature.

Overall, "Goldfish" by Howard Nemerov uses the lives of goldfish as an allegory to comment on human existence, highlighting themes of captivity, illusion, and the search for meaning. The poem's rich imagery and poignant metaphors invite readers to reflect on their own lives and the ways in which they, like the goldfish, might be confined by artificial constructs and routines.

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