Mood
Mood. This is closely associated with tone. It is a certain aroused emotion that projects a certain atmosphere in the poem. It is important to note that a poet can write about a sad subject matter in a way that causes laughter. Mood does not get swayed by the manner in which the subject matter was approached rather with what we associate the topic with; joy or sadness, the mood follows suit. It is therefore important to note the manner in which language is used, and also take note of the feelings that the poem stirs up in you. How does it make you feel? Does it make you happy, amused, sad or is it simply serious? These are important indicators of the mood. We do not describe mood as good or bad. Instead, we use words like happy, angry, bitter violent, nostalgic, melancholy, quiet, resigned, sad, depressed or jolly, anxious, somber/solemn, serious, romantic, etc depending on the subject matter. c.f. poems; ‘The woman I married’, ‘Grass will grow’, ‘Love apart’, ‘War chant’ Mood varies