Tag Archives: William Cullen Bryant

“Thanatopsis” by William Cullen Bryant

This classic poem is often a teen's introduction to deeply thinking about death

The 19th century poet William Cullen Bryant could not recall when he wrote “Thanatopsis.” Similarly, I long ago lost count of how many of my high school students had not thought much about their mortality before we turned to the poem in our American Literature … Continue reading

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“A Song for New Year’s Eve” by William Cullen Bryant

William Cullen Bryant compares the end of the year to the end-of-life experience

It’s the end of the year; what a fitting time for a blog about, well, “the end.” And just as fittingly, this week’s selection is “A Song for New Year’s Eve,” by William Cullen Bryant. The piece is about how … Continue reading

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