Poem

It’s not so much what you say As the manner in which you say it, It’s not so much the language you use As the tone in which you convey it.

“Come here” I said, And the child cowered and wept. “Come here,” I said— He looked and smiled, And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair, And the tone may pierce like a dart, Words may be soft as the summer air, But the tone may break my heart.

For words come from my mind Grow by study and art— But tone leaps from the inner self Revealing the state of the heart.

Whether you know it or not, Whether you mean or care, Gentleness, kindness, love, and hate, Envy, anger, are there.

Then, would you quarrels avoid And peace and love rejoice? Keep anger not only out of your words— Keep it out of your voice.

The content above is a poem titled "The Tone of Voice" by Unknown. It’s often shared in educational, motivational, and communication-focused contexts to emphasize the importance of tone in interpersonal interactions. The author is not definitively known, and it is commonly attributed to anonymous sources. The poem highlights how tone can affect the meaning and emotional impact of words, regardless of the actual language used.