The Goosefish

Howard's "The Goosefish," is a rather strange poem. It begins with two people having sex on a beach; there is blood everywhere, which suggests the girl is losing her virginity. In the second stanza it goes on to describe a very inviting moon during their romantic act. This is contrasted by the appearance on the beach, of a big, dead, smiling, ugly fish. The couple does not know what to make of the fish, they look to it as some kind of symbol and its appearance makes them feel guilty for what they have just done. This is kind of creepy because they describe the dead fish as watching them, smiling with amusement, and they wonder if this symbol is a precursor for their future.