Final answer:
The emotion a poem communicates can often be uncovered through the analysis of its tone, narrative or descriptive elements, and emotional reactions. The use of imagery and not direct language to represent feelings can indicate complex emotions such as sympathy or grief.
Step-by-step explanation:
When deciphering what emotion a poem is trying to communicate, it's important to consider one's initial emotional reaction, the narrative or descriptive nature of the poem, and its tone. Tonal descriptors such as sad, happy, or meditative can be helpful in this analysis. For instance, the reference to the fireman and his dog story in the poem indicates a deep sense of sympathy and highlights the complex emotions involved in relationships and empathy. The use of the sentimental and its comparison to beauty indicates a meditative exploration of emotion. Lastly, the poem's ability to evoke feelings without explicitly naming them, as shown in Jane Kenyon's 'What Came to Me,' underscores the power of poetic imagery to convey complex emotions like grief and sorrow.