comment by thenewgreen

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thenewgreen · 4674 days ago · link · · parent · post: The Art of Losing, Part 2

Oh yes, and while I’m at it … what are your favorite poems? And how did they choose you? Like you, I'm not sure that I have a favorite but in college I had to memorize a poem and recite it for my introductory poetry class. I chose Elizabeth Bishops "The Fish" -coincidence?

I really enjoyed the exercise and the poem... Here is as far as I can recite today from memory:

  *I caught a tremendous fish
  And held him beside the boat half out of water
  With my hook fast in the corner of his mouth*

I can't recall beyond that but I do remember such awesome imagery like "spots like full-blown roses" and "venerable and homely, strips of skin like wallpaper"

It's a strong poem that's never left me. When I think of the sadness and the nobility of aging, I think of that fish. When I think of the young looking into the eyes of the aged, I think of that fish.

I couldn't find a link to the poem but here is a reading of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnR1x64WOjQ

I'm glad you presented this in two parts, I've enjoyed reading them both.

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