Some terms in the poem tell of this desperation and are structured into the overall tone of the poem which includes: “hope has flown away; shore tormented by waves; while I cry, while I cry; Oh God! I cannot save; merciless wave”. Poe uses concrete diction such as the words “sand” (15) and the words “fingers” (17), but most of the words in the poem are abstract and express a more general idea or concept. The tone expressed in the poem is related to the speaker questioning their reality after a loss in their life. Through the poem we follow the speaker into the depths of his subconscious filled with pain and pity. The speakers are unable to understand nature and how cruel it can be, which leads to questioning life which is nothing more than a fantasy within a world.