Nothing Gold Can Nothing Gold Can StayStay

By Robert Frost

NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

Nature's first green is gold,Her hardest hue to hold.Her early leaf's a flower;But only so an hour.Then leaf subsides to leaf.So Eden sank to grief,So dawn goes down to day.Nothing gold can stay.

-Robert Frost

““Nothing Gold Can Nothing Gold Can Stay”…Stay”… was written by Robert Frost.was written by Robert Frost.

was originally published in Frost’s was originally published in Frost’s 1923 Volume, 1923 Volume, New Hampshire.New Hampshire.

is one of Frost’s many famous poems is one of Frost’s many famous poems alongside “Fire and Ice” and “The alongside “Fire and Ice” and “The Road Not Taken.”Road Not Taken.”

a) What is "nature's first green"?

b) Why is it "gold"? Do you think Frost means the color gold?

Nature's first green is gold.

Her hardest hue to hold.

a) What is a "hue"?b) Does nature have a hard time "holding" on to green? ( just think…don’t answer, yet…)

Her early leaf's a flower;But only so an hour.

a) What would an "early leaf" be?

b) Why is it only that way for an hour? Is it reallyan hour…what is Frost saying here?

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

a) What does the word "subsides" mean?b) Knowing that a leaf bud may look like a flower at first, but actually turns into a leaf (as we know one to look like), where could Frost be going with this poem?

So Eden sank to grief.

a) What is "Eden"?b) What is meant by the reference to "grief"?

NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

Nature's first green is gold,Her hardest hue to hold.Her early leaf's a flower;But only so an hour.Then leaf subsides to leaf.So Eden sank to grief,So dawn goes down to day.Nothing gold can stay.

a) What do the words in red indicate to you?b) Why do you think Frost chose them?

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

a) We don't typically think of dawn, or a sunrise, as "going down", as we would with dusk. Why do you think Frost worded it like this?

b)What is meant by "nothing gold can stay"?

NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

Nature's first green is gold,Her hardest hue to hold.Her early leaf's a flower;But only so an hour.Then leaf subsides to leaf.So Eden sank to grief,So dawn goes down to day.Nothing gold can stay.

-Robert Frost

Final Question: Now that you have a better understanding of the poem, how could the messages apply to more than nature? What does it say about people and life in general?

RhythmRhythm the rhythm of this poem is mostly iambic the rhythm of this poem is mostly iambic

trimeter.trimeter.

Nature’s first green is gold,Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour. But only so an hour.

Rhyme SchemeRhyme Scheme the rhyme scheme in this poem is the rhyme scheme in this poem is

AABBCCDD; its lines form four pairs AABBCCDD; its lines form four pairs of couplets.of couplets.

Nature’s first green is Nature’s first green is goldgold, , AA

Her hardest hue to Her hardest hue to holdhold. . AA

Her early leaf’s a Her early leaf’s a flowerflower; ; BB

But only so and But only so and hourhour. . B B

Sound Device: Sound Device: AlliterationAlliteration HHer er hhardest ardest hhue to ue to hhold.old.

HHer early leaf’s a flower;er early leaf’s a flower;

So So ddawn goes awn goes ddown to own to dday.ay.

In lines two, three and seven the In lines two, three and seven the author utilizes alliteration.author utilizes alliteration.

Sound Device: Sound Device: AssonanceAssonance Then lThen leaeaf subsides to lf subsides to leaeaf.f.

So So EEden sank to grden sank to grieief,f,

In lines five and six, Frost employs In lines five and six, Frost employs assonance in the form of the long “e” assonance in the form of the long “e”

sound.sound.

Figurative Language: Figurative Language: AllusionAllusion So So EdenEden sank to grief, sank to grief,

In the sixth line, Frost is alluding to In the sixth line, Frost is alluding to The Garden of Eden, a setting of a The Garden of Eden, a setting of a

biblical story.biblical story.

Figurative Language: Figurative Language: PersonificationPersonification

Nature’s first green is gold,Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.Her hardest hue to hold.

In these lines of the poem, nature, a In these lines of the poem, nature, a non-human thing, is said to be non-human thing, is said to be holding the color gold. holding the color gold.

Figurative Language: Figurative Language: MetaphorMetaphor An example of a metaphor in this An example of a metaphor in this

poem is:poem is:

Her early leaf’s a flower;Her early leaf’s a flower;

Here, Frost is comparing two alike Here, Frost is comparing two alike

things: the leaf and the flower.things: the leaf and the flower.

Poetic Device: Poetic Device: ImageryImagery So dawn goes down to day.So dawn goes down to day.

Nature’s first green is gold,Nature’s first green is gold,

Frost is appealing to the reader’s Frost is appealing to the reader’s sense of sight.sense of sight.

““Nothing Gold Can Nothing Gold Can Stay”…Stay”… would be a perfect would be a perfect

poem for this poem for this textbook because textbook because of its consistent of its consistent rhythm and rhyme, rhythm and rhyme, ideal length, and ideal length, and numerous numerous examples of poetic examples of poetic devices such as:devices such as:

AlliterationAlliteration AssonanceAssonance AllusionAllusion PersonificationPersonification MetaphorMetaphor ImageryImagery