In the "The Groundhog," author Richard Eberhart explores death and decay as the poem's primary theme. The speaker in "The Groundhog  is a man who experiences a loss of innocence by observing the metamorphosis of a dead groundhog for three years. Before he saw the dead groundhog, the speaker was afraid of his own mortality. But as time passes by, he comes to realize that death is inevitable. His encounters with the dead groundhog shapes his perceptions and emotions surrounding death and decay. The speaker first meets a dead groundhog in June. In vigorous daylight, the speaker sees the "maggots" might  on a dead groundhog. Soon after, he feels his mind outshot "naked frailty  and his senses wavering "dim.  Due to his "naked frailty," the speaker is reminded of his own mortality. So he pokes the groundhog with "loathing  and a "angry stick.  His frailty is "naked  because he is sincerely afraid of dying and his sense becomes "dim" because he is overwhelmed by anguish and despair. He becomes indignant as nature shows no remorse for the groundhog's death. He believes nature to be "ferocious." This indignation is seen as he notices the "maggots" might  on the groundhog while the sun shines with "Vigour" and "immense energy."  He capitalize vigour to state that the nature is cruel to those who die. As he leaves the groundhog, the speaker prays on his knees to find "joy in the sight of decay." This shows that the speaker views decay and nature as cruel and merciless. In Autumn, the speaker returns to the groundhog. He notices the groundhog's sap has "gone out" and its "bony sodden hulk" remains. However, his emotions and perceptions towards death have changed since June. As the weather in Autumn is benign, he does not despise nature for being "ferocious towards death." Everything the speaker has felt in June "had lost its meaning." The speaker says the groundhog's sap has "gone out  because the speaker's anguish