What if there was something so irresistible that all determination was lost? The Sirens are a group of women who sing a song so captivating that ships are constantly drawn to their island. They are often depicted as birds with the heads of women. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus and his men must pass the island of the Sirens in order to return to Ithaca, their homeland. In order to prevent his men from jumping overboard to the enchanting song, Odysseus plugs his men's ears with wax, then he is tied up and listens to the song. The song compels Odysseus to head to the island, but his obedient men ignore his hysterical cries. Another depiction of mermaids is found in a poem by Margaret Atwood called “Siren Song.” The poem draws the reader in by making them feel pity for the speaker, who turns out to be a mermaid. These two literary works can be compared using poetic devices such as tone, point of view, and imagery. Homer and Atwood use different tones in order to represent the same group of creatures. Homer uses an alert and tense tone when he mentions mermaids. The warning tone is first heard when the crew begins to pass the island: "We were just offshore... when the sirens immediately sensed a ship / running ahead and burst into their high, thrilling song : 'Come near, famous Odysseus…'” (Homer 11, 12-14). This moment of Odysseus's journey is also very tense; the lives of his men and his own life are in danger. Mermaids also appear attentive and ready to capture their prey. Instead of appearing tense and alert, Atwood adopts a sad and mysterious tone. The speaker sounds dark and desperate, but there is a strange aura surrounding him: the song that compels the men to jump overboard in squadrons even if they see the washed-up skull...... middle of a paper......t work to attract the reader with tone. Tone creates the mood needed for the poem to have an impact. The point of view gives more perspective on what is happening. Without point of view, literary works would be objective and tedious. The imagery is the icing on the cake. Using descriptive words, facial expressions, and action verbs gives the audience something to visualize as they read. When the audience has something to visualize, the story has more impact. Although Homer and Atwood wrote two different poems, they can be matched in different ways. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. “Song of the Mermaids.” 1976. You are happy, selected poems. 1965-1975 ed. Np: Houghton Mifflin, nd N. pag. Print.Homer and Robert Fitzgerald. “Book XII Marine Perils and Defeat”. The Odyssey. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. 214-16. Print.