Woodchucks and Traveling through the Dark

Both of the poems involve the topic of the death of animals but differ in their tone. The first poem, Woodchucks, has a harsher tone and a darker feel. Throughout the poem, the narrator describes the hunting and eventually killing of the woodchucks in a degrading way. The narrator treats these animals as objects of entertainment and doesn't think twice when he hunts them. The tone appears almost inhumane in the way the animals are being described: "the murderer inside me rose up hard." The narrator speaks of feeling like a murderer in a positive way which shows the dark tone of the poem. In the second poem, the narrator has to make a decision about what to do with an already dead deer. The tone of the second poem seems more appreciative towards nature and animals as the narrator chooses to do whats best for others' safety and the deceased deer. The narrator is more considerate and caring towards nature.