The titular marine creature drifts in the ocean, displaying a physical form that shifts rapidly in the light. It reacts instinctively to outside interference, shrinking away when a human hand draws near. The creature survives by remaining elusive and continuously changing its shape. It possesses a jewel-like translucence that attracts human attention.

Addressed directly as "you," this unidentified human acts on an impulse to touch or catch the marine creature. The figure hesitates and abandons their goal, only to reach out again when the jellyfish pulses. The character represents human instinct to interfere with the natural environment. Their physical movements ultimately churn the water and obscure their own vision.

The narrator of the poem watches the interaction between the human and the marine creature with objective detachment. This voice meticulously records the physical movements of both the jellyfish and the human arm. The narrator documents the shifting scene without directly intervening, serving as a quiet witness to the failed capture.