The Wild Honey Suckle Analysis

Often pondered by humanity is the existence of life, life stages, human vs. nature and the finality of it all death. Life, death and the human struggle to understand the existence of a living object in nature or to ponder through man's struggle with the certainty of death is the author’s focus. However, death is not the final frontier; it is but the finality of all life for both humanity and the natural world. Frightening to some, being human and rational beings, both poets ponder the prospect of existence, life's stages and death in both worlds.
Philip Freneau born in 1752 (the earliest of the two poets) first published his poem “The Wild Honey Suckle” in 1786. He is referred to as the “Father of American Poetry” (Perkins 417). William Cullen Bryant, born some four decades later in 1794, first published Thanatopsis in 1817 in the early beginnings of the Romantic Era.
The writing styles between

The life of one small plant hidden from life’s dangers, grows alone and unmolested; protected by nature, basking in the sun and summer breeze, happy and content. Freneau’s tone is one of admiration and the fragility of life. In Philip Freneau “The Wild Honey Suckle” he writes, “If nothing once, you nothing lose” (line 21) appears to be an encouragement. William Cullen Bryant’s tone in Thanatopsis varies, as does the cycle of life. The writers tone fluctuates from happiness to sorrow and hopelessness with a tonal shift to nature and becoming one with nature. Freneau’s tone is philosophical from the vastness of life using nature, then upbeat reverting back to the soul encouraging one to make one's mark in life. The emphasis in the last stanza “So live, that when thy summons come to join the innumerable caravan” (lines 73-74) is one of encouragement and in the final line “and lies down to pleasant dreams” (line 81) portrays a calming and accepting tone towards