Tone

            What is tone?:

Determining the tone of a poem is impossible without talking to the poet.  Because this is not generally possible, and not what poetry is meant for, there is no definitive answer to "what is the tone of a poem?".  This is not a problem however, it allows us to come up with infinite interpretations of a poem.  Verse may offer us an endless discourse on meaning, importance, and poetic function.  I am providing you with a list of possible tones for poems.  While many poems seem to be obvious, it is still important to consider all the possibilities.  Diction, imagery, and form can all influence the tone of the poem and in some cases they may conflict.  Tones also can involve tension, which deals with these conflicts of form and meaning.  Though a poem may seem happy, underlying tones of conflict, fear, or anger may cause tension.

           Tones: There are many more tones that can be added to this list.  Try assigning multiple tones to poems based on diction, imagery, or form and see if you can create tension.

Sarcastic
Political
Serious
Cynical
Amused
Happy
Depressed
Romantic
Mystical
Spiritual
Awe
Wonder
Sinister
Creepy
Morbid
Playful