In "," the speaker catches a "tremendous" fish. This old fish
doesn't even fight her as she reels him in. She notes the details of this fishhis skin, which
hangs off of him, is covered in barnacles. As she realizes the history of this fish, she
realizes that there is no victory in taking his life.
He has survived so
much. She sees that this fish has been a fighter in the past as she notes:
grim, wet, and weaponlike,
hung five old pieces of
fish-line,
or four and a wire leader
with the swivel still
attached,
with all their five big hooks
grown firmly in his mouth.
Like a war veteran, the fish displays his medals from former
victories with a quiet reverence of spirit. These battle scars are a part of him, both
metaphorically and physically. The speaker notes that it gives him an air of "wisdom"
as the lines trail from his jaw.
And now this old guy can fight no longer.
He has lived his best...
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