“the Wild Honeysuckle”

Philip Freneau was one of the most well known authors in the history of early American Literature. Freneau focuses on the many social problems that concern him such as the beauty of nature and the uniqueness of it. Philip Freneau utilizes a language full of imagery. The analysis of “The Wild Honeysuckle” should convey and uncovers the significance of inclusion of nature. In order to comprehend Freneau poem, “The Wild Honeysuckle” we should look at the defining features of the flower. The species have sweetly scented bell shaped flowers that produce a sugary edible nectar. The fruit on the sweet honeysuckle consists of berries and they can be in various colors such as red, blue or black. The berries comprise of several seeds and the berries can be slightly poisonous or edible. This flower grows wildly in isolated areas of land such as forests, swaps or hills. These key terms: sweet, fragrant, delicate and veiled are the essence of this particular poem. Philip Freneau conveys the character of the honeysuckle. In lines one through four Freneau describes the flower and address’s it. The first stanza is composed in cross rhymes. “Fair flower, that dost so comely grow, Hid in this silent dull retreat, Untouched thy honeyed blossoms blow, Unseen thy little branches greet: No roving foot shall crush thee here, No busy hand provoke a tear.” (Freneau 1-6)
He explains that the honeysuckle is beautiful but is veiled to the world. Furthermore, Freneau personifies the flower. He talks to the flower as if it clearly were a person. He expresses that the “little branches greet” (line 4) and hopes that there will be “tear”. (line 6) He is expressing that nature is alike with the wilderness and seclusion of the land. It is almost expressing that the flower doesn’t exist because of its concealed identity and humans are leaving the flowers hidden and secluded . However, The “roving foot” and the “busy hand” (line5) are metaphors of the devastation of