"Weighing the Dog"

One of the most important characteristics of a poem is the tone. Although it can be interpreted in various ways, the tone is what sets the overall mood of the poem in order to convey a certain message. The author may use selection of detail, sound, diction and other literary devices to achieve a specific tone in the poem. In "Weighing the Dog", the speaker is very factual and logical in his diction. The structure of the poem is also repetitive which suggests a sense of routine behind the speaker's thinking. The author uses the structure of the poem, diction and the repetition of the words "awkward" and "bewildering" to portray the simple tone as well as show that the speaker is trying to piece something together by making an analogy.

The speaker is reminiscing on a past relationship while weighing his dog. The act of weighing his dog ends up being analogy for his assumption about the failed relationship. The author's interesting selection of detail is thoughtful and significant because it shows the kind of character that the speaker is, which lends to the tone of the poem. The speaker is taking a routine and factual action to reflect on a subject which is much more profound: "and I start to wonder if there is an analogy here. It could not have to do with my leaving you though I never figured out what you amounted to until I subtracted myself from our combination" (9-12). The speaker's reference to the relationship as a combination suggests a lack of emotion. The speaker's weight subtracted from his weight combined with the dog's weight is a simple task. Comparing it to being separated from the person whom he was interacting with shows that it was insignificant. 

The poem itself has a repetitive structure where each stanza is made up of three lines. The structure goes hand in hand with the speaker's mindset. The speaker's logic and routine thinking is reflected in the logical order of the stanzas. The repetition also shows that the speaker remains static: "You held me in your arms more than I held you" (13). Although he has somewhat of an epiphany when realizing that it is an analogy, his emotions do not change when he thinks about the failed relationship. 

The speaker ultimately compares himself to a dog throughout the poem. The action taking place is the speaker weighing his dog by holding him in his arms. When the analogy is made, the speaker is the one being picked up. The speaker begins the poem saying, "It is awkward for me and bewildering for him as I hold him in my arms" (1-2), and begins the last stanza saying, "You held me in your arms more than I held you through all those awkward and bewildering months" (13-14). The speaker is the one carrying the dog's weight in order to weigh him. In the past combination, the speaker was the heavy weight being carried by someone else. When the speaker subtracted himself from the combination, he was able to see what the other person amounted to.

The overarching tone in the poem is the logical and factual mindset of the speaker. He is completely unmoved by emotions. His use of a simple situation to reflect on a past relationship shows that he does not care for it.