The title also specifies the setting of the poem, which is one of the most important aspects we're looking for. The tone is also evocative of a period when they didn't have to worry about the perils of the inner city. The tone conveys a kind of trained helplessness among inner-city residents. It's as if they knew something bad was going to happen and there wasn't much they could do to stop it. Here are some examples of tones: Inevitable: this is the tone of tragedy. Everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Nothing can be done to change fate. This is what people feel when violence is inevitable. Even though they may not want to admit it, they know there's nothing they can do to prevent crime from happening to them or their children. Nostalgia: this is the tone of remembrance. Things were better back then. There's a longing for those days when things were simple and safe. Nostalgia is used to describe poems that talk about times before World War I or Vietnam. Rage: this is the tone of frustration. People are angry about something but they can't put their finger on it. They just feel like something is going to explode at any moment. Rage is used to describe poems that talk about wars, natural disasters, and acts of violence. Sadness: this is the tone of loss.