Course:Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost

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CRWR 501P 003
Advanced Writing of Poetry
  • Instructor:Dr. Bronwen Tate
  • Email: Bronwen.tate@ubc.ca
  • Office: Buchanan E #456
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Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost

"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost is a poetic masterpiece that resonates with timeless truths about the fleeting nature of beauty and perfection. The brevity of this eight-line poem adds to its potency, allowing each word to carry profound weight.

The opening lines, "Nature’s first green is gold, / Her hardest hue to hold," immediately set the tone, using nature's changing hues as a metaphor for the transient nature of precious moments. Frost's choice of the word "gold" conjures images of something precious and valuable, heightening the emotional impact of the inevitable loss.

"Her early leaf’s a flower; / But only so an hour," employs vivid imagery to depict the ephemeral beauty of nature. The comparison of an early leaf to a flower reinforces the idea that even the most vibrant and beautiful aspects of life are temporary, lasting only for a brief moment.

The subsequent lines, "Then leaf subsides to leaf. / So Eden sank to grief," draw a parallel between the cyclical nature of changing leaves and the biblical narrative of the fall of Eden. Here, Frost deepens the thematic exploration, suggesting that the impermanence of beauty is intertwined with the broader human experience of loss and change.

The concluding lines, "So dawn goes down to day. / Nothing gold can stay," deliver a poignant and universal truth. The metaphor of dawn turning into day captures the inevitability of change and the transient nature of perfection. The assertion that "nothing gold can stay" serves as a stark yet beautifully expressed reminder of the impermanence inherent in all things.

In its brevity, "Nothing Gold Can Stay" becomes a timeless meditation on the complexities of life, inviting readers to reflect on the fleeting nature of moments that gleam with a golden, but ultimately ephemeral, brilliance.

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