The Moose

“The Armadillo” by Elizabeth Bishop (1957)

Like “The Moose,” the titular armadillo does not appear until later in the poem, and the reader is left to understand its importance on one’s own. The poem is dedicated to Bishop’s close friend and colleague Robert Lowell, who previously dedicated his poem “Skunk Hour” to her. The two poems set up a subtle discourse about the threat of nuclear war.

“Skunk Hour” by Robert Lowell (1959)

Though a Confessional poet and dedicated to the movement, Lowell based this poem on Bishop’s “The Armadillo,” believing that she had opened his eyes to a new, nuanced way to construct and compose his poetry. Though much darker than Bishop’s work, Lowell describes the landscape with the emotional power that Bishop captures in her poem, and he dedicates the poem to her.

“A Jelly-Fish” by Marianne Moore (1909)

This poem by Bishop’s friend and mentor shows her influence upon Bishop’s work. The poem conveys an emotional weight through one of nature’s creatures. Common characteristics between Moore’s work and Bishop’s work are attention to detail, attention to structure, and finding the sublime in the mundane.