The Diver, by Ian Serraillier: Analyzing the Poem

The poem is written about a diving experience. The diver uses aqua-lungs to go beneath the surface of the water where he sees many exquisite things. He compares his exploration to "a ship with a glass keel". His mask is the glass keel through which he sees the world below.

The "secrets of the deep" to which he refers are the things he had no knowledge of that are revealed to him as he moves slowly (lazily) through the water. He sees what appears to be a bush. Upon touching it, the bush explodes into pieces and he realizes that he has disturbed a school of shrimps whilst passing by. They swim towards each other and close again after the brief moment of chaos, gently swaying to and fro with the movement of the water. He describes it beautifully by saying that they "rock to the tune of the tide". The mental image created is one of gentle tranquility.

As he continues on his way gliding over crabs, they vanish beneath the sand causing clouds of unsettled sand. The diver sees the bubbles of air that are released as he breathes. They are metaphorical strings of pearls that seem to hang next to his face. As he tries to catch hold of the string, it breaks in his hand. The image of the pearls and his hand moving slowly to hold them is also slow and gentle.

As he approaches a hollow, he wonders what is hidden within it. He mentally imagines an old Armada wreck that is caught securely in seaweed; its cannons are crusted with barnacles. (Barnacles are interesting sea creatures that attach themselves to surfaces of boats, piers, and other uneven surfaces that may lie in shallow water.) This encrustation occurs over a long period of time. The fact that the cannons are crusted emphasizes the fact that the ship no longer fights on the open sea. He then thinks of the great San Philip. This may refer to the Spanish Armada of King Philip. The great ship's hold may have contained gold or silver in bars or ingots: "Pieces of eight, silver crowns, and bars of solid gold". However, during his underwater journey he does not see a shipwreck.

His experience comes to an end when the cold water becomes too much for him to bear. He is forced to return to the surface where there is noise and the ordinary things to which he is accustomed. The mood of the poem changes. At the start, the diver sets off in anticipation. He ends his diving experience and is clearly disappointed.