a prompt—executive bird is the jay

by emily dickinson

a prompt—executive bird is the jay—
bold as a bailiff's1 hymn—
brittle and brief in quality—
warrant2 in every line—

sitting a bough3 like a brigadier4
confident and straight—
much is the mien5 of him in march
as a magistrate6—

1.legal officer
2.legal action
3.branch of a tree
4.army officer (british)
5.appearance
6.judge

i heard a bird sing

by oliver herford

i heard a bird sing
in the dark of december.
a magical thing
and sweet to remember.

"we are nearer to spring
than we were in september,”
i heard a bird sing
in the dark of december.

review the two poems.

the topic is the same in both poems, but how is the tone different?

In the first poem, by Emily Dickinson, the poet uses a more joyful and happy tone. She describes the bird with admiration and respect. The tone is a positive one.

In the second poem, the author employs a tone that is more somber. While the poem speaks of hope (the bird promises that spring will come), the author tells us that he is "in the dark of December," giving the poem a less positive tone.

boccaccio employs the voice of his narrator dioneo to represent his ideas on the tension between masculinity and femininity.  while dioneo excites the members of the brigata and recognizes women for their unique skills and independent ideas, he concludes the decameron with a story reminiscent of the society from which these young aristocrats escaped, revealing misogynistic overtones.  dioneo boccaccio is able to explore the gender disparity which is inherent in 14th century florentine society.