Which word best describes the tone of There Was a Child Went Forth?

While there are elements of different tones in Walt Whitman's "There Was a Child Went Forth," the dominant tone is one of optimistic growth and development.

Here's why:

* The poem emphasizes the child's absorption of the world around them: This creates a sense of wonder and possibility as the child encounters the "streets, faces, and objects" and learns from them.

* The poem highlights the child's continuous transformation: The child is constantly "absorbing, taking in, and growing" through their experiences, creating a sense of hope and progress.

* The poem ends with a sense of potential and unity: The child becomes a "composite," representing the culmination of all their experiences and their connection to the larger world.

While there are moments of descriptive observation and nostalgia, the primary theme of the poem revolves around the positive potential for growth and evolution in the child, making optimistic the most fitting descriptor for its overall tone.