Diction

Diction, or an author's choice of words, influences the sound of a poem, which influences the poem's tone, which influences the poem's mood and the reader's interpretation of the poem. In Ozymandias, for example, the author starts off by using very delicate words, such as "antique" and "sculptor," which gives the poem a feeling of remembrance and thoughtfulness. Then, when the king is quoted, the words become stronger and a tonal shift occurs. The words in the quote connote power and dominance, which affect the tone. But then the words become quiet again in the last few lines, emphasizing time's subtle dominance over everything, even things as mighty as King Ozymandias.