This poem is about Catullus seeing a woman be clearly loves and refers to as 'you' with another man and how he reacts to that sight. When we were reading it, it felt like it needed to be spoken with a voice of desperation and frustration.
He is definitely passionate about this woman considering the jealous effects he feels from seeing her simply talking to another guy. Not only does he undergo feelings of jealousy when seeing her but she seems to hypnotize him and he loses his basic senses.
Catullus' poem is able to be connected to by people from any time. No matter what the date is, the way he captured the sensations and body feedback of being infatuated with somebody is truly timeless. Those effects don't change just because the year does. His figures of speech, "a thin flame flows down under my limbs," give feeling and visions to the encounter he is explaining.
Overall, his poem hits deep emotions and allows unrequitted love to have a voice.
I think you're right on the mark about the tone being one of desperation and frustration. In fact, all these poems were written to be read out loud and heard by a "live audience. So being able to hear the poet's voice is very important.
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