Like the speaker in “The Shampoo,” the subject matter is elusive. The title suggests the poem is about shampooing hair, yet the initial lines don't seem attached to a person’s hair or washing it. The poem begins with imagery as a literary device, since the vivid language about the rocks and lichen creates a picture. The image links to nature, not hair, and makes the speaker come across as a botanist or scientist since the speaker meticulously examines the natural world. The speaker notes the “spreading, gray, concentric shocks” (Line 3) of the lichens, which make the speaker think of “the rings around the moon” (Line 5). In Lines 1-5, the speaker expresses their observations and makes detailed connections. They sound detached, which creates an objective tone. The first five lines read something like an impersonal science report.

The speaker and their tone become personal when they state, “[W]ithin our memories they have not changed” (Line 6). Although the lichens move around, they remain the same in the minds of the speaker and the second person in the poem, who's later identified as a close friend. The speaker feels comfortable speaking for themselves and their friend, which underscores their close relationship.