Question

How does the word choice in stanza 1 contribute to the tone at the beginning of the poem?

ON WINNING THE COLORING CONTEST IN SECOND GRADE

Answer 1

The writer Anna Hodges gives the poem a tonality of excitement at the idea of participating in the contest. She gives hints at this in lines 2, 3 and 5 as given below:

In line 2 we see a combination words such as "I've discovered America" ...

Line 3: "the wind at the shore"

in line 5 we have "a sweet throbbing in my chest"

Cheers!