This guide explains the tone of Once Upon a Time, its mood and its structure. Gabriel Okara’s poem is short, yet the speaker’s attitude changes clearly from start to finish. Once you can trace that change, questions on tone and structure become much easier.

Line numbers follow the standard 43-line layout. If your textbook differs, count from the first line of your copy. For a reminder of what happens in each stanza, see the stanza-by-stanza summary.

Tone and mood: what is the difference?

Tone is the speaker’s attitude towards his subject. Mood, on the other hand, is the feeling the poem creates in the reader. In this poem, the two are closely linked, because the father’s honesty draws the reader into his sadness and hope.

How the tone changes

The tone of Once Upon a Time moves through three stages. Each stage matches a group of stanzas.

Stage 1: Nostalgic and critical (stanzas 1–3)

At the start, the father looks back fondly on a sincere past. His longing is clear from the fairy-tale opening. Alongside that nostalgia runs a note of bitterness, since he is disappointed by the cold, selfish people around him.

Stage 2: Confessional and self-critical (stanzas 4–5)

Here the tone becomes honest and ashamed. Instead of blaming others, the speaker admits his own faults. A quiet irony also appears, because he lists the polite phrases he uses while knowing they are lies.

Stage 3: Sincere, pleading and hopeful (stanzas 6–7)

In the last two stanzas, the father speaks from the heart. Disgust at his own reflection gives way to a gentle plea. Finally, the tone turns hopeful, as he believes his son can help him change.

The overall tone of Once Upon a Time

Taken as a whole, the tone is sad but hopeful. It is also warm and intimate, because every word is spoken to a child the father loves. If an exam question asks for one word, “nostalgic” or “regretful” are safe choices. A stronger answer, however, explains how the tone shifts towards hope.

The mood of the poem

Most readers finish the poem feeling thoughtful and slightly sad. Many also recognise themselves in the speaker, since almost everyone has smiled or spoken politely without meaning it. By the end, the mood lifts a little. The father’s plea leaves room for change, so the reader feels sympathy rather than despair.

Structure of Once Upon a Time

Okara writes in free verse, with no regular rhyme or metre. There are seven stanzas and 43 lines, and the stanzas vary in length.

Structural features

Turning points. Two small words mark the shifts. “So” at line 19 opens the confession, and “But” at line 33 introduces his wish to change.

Circular structure. The phrase from the title opens the poem in line 1 and returns in the final line. This frame makes the honest past feel like a story from long ago.

A short final stanza. At only four lines, stanza 7 is the shortest. Its brevity gives the father’s plea extra force.

Direct speech. Quotation marks in stanzas 3 and 5 let readers hear the empty phrases people use. As a result, the hypocrisy feels real and familiar.

Simple, conversational language. Short, everyday words make the poem sound like a father talking to his child. For more on Okara’s language, read our guide to the poetic devices in the poem.

Writing about the tone of Once Upon a Time in the exam

First, name the tone with a precise word such as nostalgic, regretful or hopeful. Then quote or refer to a line that shows it. After that, explain how the tone changes and why. For structure, mention the three sections and at least one turning point. Practise with our Once Upon a Time questions and answers, or return to the complete study guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the tone of Once Upon a Time?

It is nostalgic and regretful at first, confessional in the middle, and hopeful at the end.

What is the mood of the poem?

The mood is reflective and slightly sad, but it lifts towards hope in the final stanza.

How many stanzas and lines does the poem have?

There are seven stanzas and 43 lines in the standard layout.

Is Once Upon a Time a dramatic monologue?

It is often described that way, since a single speaker talks to a silent listener, his son.