Tone Of The Poem The Colonel

“The Colonel” stands out as a poem for two distinct reasons. The first thing that you notice is that the author chose an untraditional format. That, paired with the line “What you have heard is true. I was in his house,” and the indifferent tone, gives more of a ‘journalistic’ vibe. Without directly stating it, the author hints at the theme of disillusionment. At the beginning of the poem, she begins by describing a seemingly ordinary family evening. “His daughter filed her nails, his son went out for the night.” However, it becomes eerily darker as the line continues: “There were daily papers, pet dogs, a pistol on the cushion beside him.” She goes on to describe the treacherous protectants that line the house to keep intruders away. For