Does anyone know what the tone of these two poems is?

Question

I have to analyze these two poems and I'm having trouble with the tones. If you can give me any other information that might help me analyze them, I would be very grateful. Thanks for your help.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/if/
http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm385250.html

Answer 1

in my humble opinion both poems sound very hopeful
the tones of the poems being that of hope for the next day or time when something happens
in IF Kipling is describing all of the qualities which encompass a Man and shows him that while there is bad going on there can still be hope because you can do all of this and face all that adversity and the reward is being a man
its a different kind of hope to the Tupac poem
which seems more in the now, with how the world is treating him now and with hope for tomorrow
in the Kipling poem there's pride as well, because the last stanza says Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!

he's speaking to his son with pride as to what he would become and what it takes to be a man

whereas the Tupac poem ends like this
and tomorrow I wake with second wind
and strong because of pride
2 know I fought with all my heart 2 keep my
dream alive

which to me is indicative of looking to a brighter tomorrow
hope it helped

Answer 2

Was the Tupac poem originally a rap song?
I found it almost unreadable but it was better spoken aloud with something of a rap beat.
"because no one at home cares" requires a particular stress pattern to make it fit and work.
("2" and "c" are a matter of style but why "knawing?")

I'm afraid I massively prefer the Kipling.

Both poems are ultimately optimistic and idealistic but come to this not by ignoring the wrongs and pressures of the world, rather by acknowledging and confronting them.

There are blandly optimistic poems, and unremittingly dark ones. These, each in their own way, refuse both extremes but not through ignorance of them.

Answer 3

serendipitous and lackadaisical