Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tone

3 comments:

Fig said...

For one of my choices I read "A Dream Within A Dream" by E.A.P.

I believe that the tone of this poem was very sorrowful. The narrator is very sad and I really feel bad for him/her. It seems as though the speaker is helpless to the effects of time. It talks about attempting to hold on to the moment, but being unable. The poem also mentions lost hope. The tone is clearly one of dismay and sadness.

The use of the "pitiless wave" was interesting to me also. I think that this represents the effects of time. Time is pitiless, it is always moving and, like a wave, will wash away whatever progress you have made. The symbolism helps contribute to the overall sad tone.

Fig said...

My second choice was "A clear midnight" by Walt Whitman
it can be found at http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=9

The tone in this poem was exuberant and happy. Whitman speaks about "free flight" for the soul in a highly positive manner. I enjoy the message that the soul is only truly free at night, without the burdens of the day. Only when left alone can ones soul truly be free to pursue its own agenda. The upbeat tone contributes to that feeling, that the soul, when free, can do anything. In the words of Kevin Garnett "Anything is possible". Whitman's poem provides that feeling.

S. Giggie said...

Hi Fig, create a post for each of these in the future so that they are on the main blog. Good choices but dig at the poems a bit more.