 Studying neutral tones for Thomas Hardy? Here is how you can analyse this poem. The title neutral tones is bland and colorless, showing that their relationship perhaps has grown cold and bland. Remember Thomas Hardy was unlucky in love, he had two failed marriages, so this could be about the failure of love. The alliteration of we in winter shows how hopeless this relationship became. Winter is also pathetic fallacy, sharing a sense of hopelessness. The sun is described as being white, it's colorless, showing there's a lack of color in their love. Children of God emphasises that their love was even forsaken by God. A few leaves lay its personification, it's hinting at some death. Sibilance in starving sod shows the love is lacking life. Alliteration and fallen from emphasises death and failure of the love. Ash and gray are monochromatic colors, it shows that their love is lifeless.