Bonta turns two weapons into a pair of swaggering companions. The sword and pistol walk arm in arm, up and down, like a couple of street kids looking for trouble. The title, "Toughs," fits that picture: they seem confident and a little menacing, "full of mischief."
The last two lines change the tone. The speaker says they behave "as if they are friends / or fearful to be alone." That small hint of doubt makes the toughness look like a show. Perhaps they only stick together because neither one wants to be left on its own.
The speaker seems to watch with a mix of amusement and unease. The mood is playful on the surface, but there's something sharper underneath. Weapons that act like friends are funny to picture, yet they are still weapons. The poem suggests that bravado can hide fear, and that the things we use to feel strong may be as nervous as we are.