Pike

"Pike" by Ted Hughes is a poem that describes the depth and stillness of a legendary pond or lake, the theme of power, violence, dominator, dominated, and capitalist society. The speaker describes the pond as being so deep that it holds giant pike, which is too large to move. The fish are so old that the speaker is afraid to cast a line after nightfall. 

The only sound is the still splashes on the dark pond, and the only movement is the owls hushing in the floating woods. The speaker describes the darkness beneath the night's darkness as freeing and rising slowly towards them as if it is watching. The poem is a reflection on the mysterious and awe-inspiring nature of the depths of the pond, and the power and majesty of the giant pike that live there.

“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.”

The speaker describes a three-inch long pike, which is described as being perfect in all parts. The pike is also described as having a green tigering on its gold color, giving the impression of a predator that is deadly from the moment it is born.

1. "Pike, three inches long, perfect Pike in all parts" - The speaker is describing a fish, specifically a pike, that is three inches long and is perfect in all its parts.
2. "green tigering the gold" - The pike has a green and gold coloration, with green being the dominant color and gold being the accent.
3. "Killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin" - The pike are killers from the moment they are born, and the speaker describes their expression as a "malevolent aged grin."
4. "They dance on the surface among the flies" - The pikes are active and move around, dancing on the surface of the water 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.”

the speaker describes the pike's behavior as it dances on the surface of the water among the flies. The pike is also described as being stunned by its own grandeur, as it moves over a bed of emerald. The silhouette of the pike is described as being a submarine delicacy and horror, as if it is both beautiful and terrifying.

1. "Or move, stunned by their own grandeur" - The pikes may also move slowly, seemingly in awe of their own grandeur.
2. "Over a bed of emerald, silhouette" - The pikes move over a bed of green, with their silhouette visible in the water.
3. "Of submarine delicacy and horror" - The pikes' movement is described as both delicate and horrifying, possibly because of their predatory nature.
4.  "A hundred feet long in their world" - In the pikes' own world, they are much larger than their three inches in length, possibly meaning they are powerful and intimidating.

“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 weeds”

the speaker describes the pike's size in its natural habitat, saying that it could be as long as a hundred feet. The pike is also described as being found in ponds, under the heat-struck lily pads, and in a state of stillness as it watches upwards.1. "In ponds, under the heat-struck lily pads" - The pikes are found in ponds, hiding under the lily pads that are wilted from the heat.

1. "Gloom of their stillness: Logged on last year’s black leaves" - The pikes are still and gloomy, lying on the black leaves from last year.
2. "watching upwards" - They are looking upward, possibly watching for prey.
3. "Or hung in an amber cavern of weeds" - The pikes may also be found in a cavern of weeds, where the water is amber-colored.

“The jaws’ hooked clamp and fangs
Not to be changed at this date;
A life subdued to its instrument;
The gills kneading quietly, and the pectorals.”

The speaker describes the pike's jaws and fangs, which are described as being hooked and not to be changed at this date. The pike's life is described as being subdued to its instrument, meaning that it is solely focused on hunting and survival. The pike's gills and pectorals are also described as kneading quietly, giving the impression of a predator that is always ready for its next prey.Top of FormBottom of Form

1. "The jaws’ hooked clamp and fangs" - The pikes have a hooked clamp for their jaws and sharp fangs for hunting.
2.  "Not to be changed at this date" - These characteristics are not going to change; they are a permanent part of the pikes.
3. "A life subdued to its instrument" - The pikes' lives are subdued to their predatory nature and hunting abilities.
4.  "The gills kneading quietly, and the pectorals" - The pikes breathe quietly, with their gills kneading and their pectoral fins moving.

“Three we kept behind glass,
Jungled in weed: three inches, four,
And four and a half: fed fry to them –
Suddenly there were two. Finally one.”

It describes the speaker keeping three fish behind glass, in a weed-filled area. They are fed fry and are three inches, four inches, and four and a half inches long.

1. "Three we kept behind glass" - The speaker is describing three fish that they kept in a glass enclosure.
2. "Jungled in weed: three inches, four" - The fish were surrounded by weed, and they were three inches, four inches, and four and a half inches in size.
3. "And four and a half: fed fry to them" - The speaker fed the fish fry, which are small fish.
4. "Suddenly there were two. Finally one." - The speaker is describing how the fish population in the enclosure changed over time. Suddenly, there were two fish left, and then finally there was only one.

“With a sag belly and the grin it was born with.
And indeed they spare nobody.
Two, six pounds each, over two feet long
High and dry and dead in the willow-herb –“

It reveals that suddenly there are only two fish left and finally, only one. The remaining fish has a saggy belly and the grin it was born with. The speaker notes that these fish spare nobody, meaning they are fierce predators.

1. "With a sag belly and the grin it was born with." - The speaker is describing the remaining fish, which has a saggy belly and a grin on its face.
2. "And indeed they spare nobody." - The speaker is saying that the fish do not spare anyone, meaning they do not show mercy or compassion.
3. "Two, six pounds each, over two feet long" - The speaker is describing the size of the two fish that were left in the enclosure. They were six pounds each and over two feet long.
4. "High and dry and dead in the willow-herb" - The speaker is describing the condition of the two fish. They were high and dry (meaning they were out of water) and dead in the willow-herb (a type of plant).

“One jammed past its gills down the other’s gullet:
The outside eye stared: as a vice locks –
The same iron in this eye
Though its film shrank in death.”

The speaker describes two fish that are six pounds each and over two feet long. They are now dead and lying in willow-herb. One fish is jammed past its gills down the other's gullet, showing the brutality of their feeding habits. The outside eye of the fish is staring, as if locked in a vice.

1. "One jammed past its gills down the other's gullet" - The speaker is describing how one fish was jammed past its gills down the other fish's throat.
2. "The outside eye stared: as a vice locks" - The speaker is describing how the fish's eye stared outwards, as if it were locked in place like a vice.
3. "The same iron in this eye / Though its film shrank in death" - The speaker is describing how the fish's eye still had the same iron-like quality, even though its film (the covering on the eye) shrank in death.

“A pond I fished, fifty yards across,
Whose lilies and muscular tench
Had outlasted every visible stone
Of the monastery that planted them –“

It talks about a pond that the speaker fished, which is fifty yards across. The pond is filled with lilies and muscular tench (a type of fish), which have outlasted every visible stone of the monastery that planted them. This pond is an example of nature's resilience and the power of natural systems to survive and thrive even when human-made structures have fallen.

1. "A pond I fished, fifty yards across" - The speaker is describing a pond that they fished in. It was fifty yards across.
2. "Whose lilies and muscular tench / Had outlasted every visible stone / Of the monastery that planted them" - The speaker is describing the pond's lilies and muscular tench fish, which had outlasted every visible stone of the monastery that planted them. This implies that the pond and its inhabitants have been there for a long time.

 

“Stilled legendary depth:
It was as deep as England. It held
Pike too immense to stir, so immense and old
That past nightfall I dared not cast”

The speaker describes a legendary depth of a pond or lake as being as deep as England. The depth is so immense that it holds pike that are too large to move. The fish are so old that the speaker is afraid to cast a line after nightfall.

1. "Stilled legendary depth:" - The speaker is describing a pond that has a legendary depth, which is now still and quiet.
2. "It was as deep as England." - The speaker is saying that the pond is as deep as the entire country of England.
3. "It held / Pike too immense to stir" - The speaker is describing the fish in the pond, specifically pike, which are so large that they do not move.
4. "so immense and old / That past nightfall I dared not cast" - The speaker is saying that the pike are so old and large that they do not move, and at nightfall, the speaker did not dare to cast their fishing line.

“But silently cast and fished
With the hair frozen on my head
For what might move, for what eye might move.
The still splashes on the dark pond,”

The speaker describes how they silently cast and fished with their hair frozen in the cold. They were fishing for any fish that might move, or any eye that might move. The only sound was the still splashes on the dark pond.

1. "But silently cast and fished / With the hair frozen on my head" - The speaker is describing how they cast their fishing line in silence, with their hair frozen due to the cold.
2. "For what might move, for what eye might move" - The speaker is fishing in the hopes of catching something, but they are also looking out for any movement or signs of life in the pond.
3. "The still splashes on the dark pond," - The speaker is describing the stillness of the pond, with no splashes or movement.

“Owls hushing the floating woods
Frail on my ear against the dream
Darkness beneath night’s darkness had freed,
That rose slowly towards me, watching.”

The speaker describes the peaceful atmosphere with owls hushing in the floating woods. The faint sound of the owls is heard against the dream-like darkness. The darkness beneath the night's darkness is freeing and rises slowly towards the speaker, as if it is watching them.

1. "Owls hushing the floating woods" - The speaker is describing the sound of owls in the background, hushing the floating woods (trees that have fallen into the water).
2. "Frail on my ear against the dream" - The speaker is describing how the sound of the owls is faint, like a dream.
3. "Darkness beneath night’s darkness had freed," - The speaker is describing the darkness of the night, and how it has freed the darkness beneath the surface of the water.
4. "That rose slowly towards me, watching" - The speaker is describing how the darkness beneath the water is slowly rising towards them, as if it is watching them.

In conclusion, the poem "Pike" by Ted Hughes depicts the depth and stillness of a pond or lake, and the awe-inspiring presence of the large, ancient fish that live there. The speaker describes the fear and respect they have for the pike, and the peaceful atmosphere of the wilderness at night. The imagery of the frozen hair and the rising darkness creates a sense of mystery and wonder, making the reader feel as if they are experiencing the scene alongside the speaker. The poem paints a vivid picture of the natural world and the awe it can inspire in those who take the time to observe it.