Summary

The poem begins with an unnamed speaker preparing for a dive into the ocean by loading their camera and getting dressed in the appropriate gear. The speaker then makes it clear that they are by themself as they start their journey, unlike others who were able to dive with a team.

In the second stanza, the speaker shares the details of their boat, noting that the ladder hanging off the side. They are familiar with this ladder, but note that to others it might seem "a piece of maritime floss / some sundry equipment” (20-21).

The third stanza describes the speaker’s long decent down the ladder above the ocean, and they note once again that they are completely alone in their endeavor. Stanza four is the moment the diver reaches the ocean, noting as they enter that the water changes from blue to green...