Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this poem.

Question

Reread this couplet from the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”

So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

How does the image in these lines help convey the idea that the best things in life should be appreciated while there's time?

Responses

Dawn’s glory is the joy in life that lasts a short time compared to the expanse of a hard life.
Dawn’s glory is the joy in life that lasts a short time compared to the expanse of a hard life.

The beauty of dawn is short like the happy times in life that people should value.
The beauty of dawn is short like the happy times in life that people should value.

The changing colors of the sky at dawn represent the changing emotions of life.
The changing colors of the sky at dawn represent the changing emotions of life.

Dawn's brilliance fades and becomes the harsh reality of everyday living.
Dawn's brilliance fades and becomes the harsh reality of everyday living.

Answer 1

All of these responses are correct in conveying the idea that the best things in life should be appreciated while there's time. The image of dawn going down to day symbolizes the transience and fleeting nature of the beautiful and joyful moments in life. It emphasizes that just like the beauty of dawn fades and becomes the harsh reality of everyday living, the best things in life also pass quickly and should be appreciated before they are gone.