Philip M. Freneau's poems "The Wild Honeysuckle" and "The Indian Burying Ground" explore the interaction between nature and the cycles of life and death.
In the first poem, he illustrates a lovely flower that grows in a hidden area “by Nature's will.” He admires its beauty while sorrowfully foreseeing its demise “smit with those charms, that must decay, I grieve to see your future doom.” In the conclusion, he invites readers to see themselves reflected in this flower, emphasizing that neither carry possessions into the afterlife, and the shortness of life “If nothing once, you nothing lose, For when you die you are the same he space between is but an hour, The frail duration of flower.”
This work contrasts the prevailing views of his era, which prioritized lofty ambitions and the illusion of permanence, particularly in light of the newly ratified constitution for the young confederation.
In the latter poem, Freneau adopts the perspective of Indigenous Americans regarding burial practices, viewing them as celebrations rather than the somber European funerals. He suggests that the Native American practice of interring the deceased in an upright position may “Bespeak the nature of the soul, Activity, that knows no rest,” which offers a much brighter viewpoint compared to the Christian perspective that “Points out the soul's eternal sleep.”
Through this poem, Freneau challenges the contemporary attitudes that favored Western customs over Indigenous traditions. He passionately calls for respect, cautioning readers against “No fraud upon the dead commit—Observe the swelling turf, and say They do not lie, but here they sit.”
