How can I do a close reading and analysis of "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop?

I think
first of all you need to come up with some thoughts or interpretations of your own about the
poem. For example, one interpretation is that the speaker seems to feel a great deal of sympathy
for the fish. It has been caught at least five times before, and perhaps the speaker feels sorry
for catching it again. Another thought about the poem is that there is lots of vivid, evocative
description in the poem which creates a beautiful and tranquil scene.

The
next step is then to reread the poem and identify any key quotations which will help you to
support your own thoughts or interpretations. For example, if we begin with the interpretation
that the speaker feels sorry for the fish, then we might cite the following lines:

I admired his sullen face . . . and...