Diving Into the Wreck

First having read the book of myths,

and loaded the camera,

and checked the edge of the knife-blade,

I put on

the body-armor of black rubber

the absurd flippers

the grave and awkward mask. ” The merger of both the masculine and the feminine become a major focus of the poem. The diver’s feminine qualities can be seen through things such as the diver’s ability to give in to nature and adjust to the sea. By describing the tedious process of preparing one’s human self for this exploration, Rich conveys to the reader that this journey is not one to be taken lightly, and one must know what he or she is getting into and be ready for what the discovery may bring.

The explorer equally demonstrates masculine qualities with the mask, “my mask is powerful/it pumps my blood with power,” which depicts the masculine desire to have control over all things, including nature. This leaves the reader questioning and opens his or her mind to interpretation, implementing Rich’s goal exactly. The reader’s questions are answered a few stanzas later where her words expose the diver as an androgyne.

And I am here, the mermaid whose dark hair

streams black, the merman in his armored body

.

the sea is not a question of power

I have to learn alone

to turn my body without force

in the deep element. In this allegory of a modern hero, the hero is a lone scuba diver who is neither male nor female no definite gender.

We are, I am, you are

by cowardice or courage

the one who find our way

back to this scene

carrying a knife, a camera

a book of myths

The last stanza (above) further encourages the reader to embark on their journey. She refrains from complete personal analysis of the wreckage because she herself believes in the individuality of the mind.

Another strong theme of “Diving Into the Wreck” revolves around the “tragedy of sex.