“The Paper Nautilus” is written in free verse, with no specific rhyme or meter. There are 35 lines, and five stanzas with seven lines each, reminiscent of Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.’s poem “The Chambered Nautilus.” Each stanza also follows a mostly consistent syllabic pattern with the lines as follows, 7 7 5 5 8 6 6, for a total of 44 lines. The fourth stanza deviates, with nine syllables in the first line and six in the second, making a total of 45 syllables. In this stanza, the eggs are freed, the shell is freed, and the paper nautilus is relieved of her task. This stanza also continues the allusion of Hercules as he is bitten by the “crab loyal to the hydra” (Line 22). This slight deviation adds to the stanzas climax in the poem.

The shape of the poem deviates from traditional left margin, shaping each stanza as follows: the second and fifth lines of each stanza are situated on the left margin, while the first, third, fourth, sixth, and seventh lines are indented slightly. This provides a visual framework for the poem.