Self-Assessment Tone in Poetry


Identify the tone in the following lines.  Click here for sample tone words.

Cookies

They wait with bated breaths,
hopeful smiles, and hands outstretched;
Girl Guides selling cookies
eyes full of worldly possibilities.

Here, the speaker has an eager tone.

The Ghetto

by Elvis Presley
As the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
'cause if there's one thing that she don't need
it's another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto

Here, the speaker has a sad, haunting, melancholy, or hopeless tone.
Cursed

by Shelly Bryant
Crawl. On. My. Belly.
So be it, then...
Just try it. If you dare,
I will hang you
from the highest tree.

Here, the speaker has a defiant, rebellious, taunting, disdainful, or scornful tone.
Rewind

by Rascall Flats
Wish I could reach up and reset that sun
Reverse these wheels go back and re-pick you up
Went by so fast oh so sweet?

Here, the speaker has a nostalgic, joyful, happy, sweet sorrow, affectionate, or regretful tone.


  Please contact your teacher if you have questions.