Tonal antiphony is a poetic technique where contrasting tones—such as solemnity and irony, or joy and despair—alternate or interweave within a poem, creating a dialogic or polyphonic effect; inspired by liturgical antiphonal singing, it deepens emotional complexity and challenges monolithic interpretations of theme or voice.

Tonal antiphony organizes a poem through call-and-response contrasts in pitch, mood, register, or vocal quality, echoing antiphonal chanting and liturgical performance. One voice may be solemn while another is playful, or a low refrain may answer a bright invocation. It overlaps with refrain and dialogue, but emphasizes tonal alternation rather than merely repeated wording. Study hint: label each voice or section by its emotional and sonic quality, then make the responses distinct yet clearly related.