"Nothing Gold Can Stay" poem lesson

"Nothing Gold Can Stay"
by Robert Frost

[1] Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

[5] Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden* sank to grief,

So Dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

*The Garden of Eden is a paradise described in the biblical book of Genesis.

​

Robert Frost (1874-1963) was one of the most popular and critically respected American poets

in history. His poems frequently employ rural scenes from the New England countryside. As you

read the poem, take notes on the use of imagery in the poem.

Notice the speaker refers to Nature as "her" - "Her hardest hue..."Her early leaf," comparing nature to a woman.

​Nature personified

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Lines 1-4

Personification

Nature's first "green" is "Her hardest hue (color) to hold" - seasons don't last. And, Her early flowers only last "an hour." Nothing lasts forever

​Meaning

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Lines 1-4

Lines 1-4

Leaf subdues, or overcomes, to leaf... leaves fall. "Eden" allusion refers to the Garden of Eden in the Bible, a perfect paradise. Even Eden "sank to grief," could not remain. Dawn, early morning, (capitalized, personified) goes away each day. Nothing lasts forever.

​Meaning

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden* sank to grief,

So Dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

Lines 5-8

Lines 5-8

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best identifies a theme of the poem?

• Love is unpredictable and inconsistent.

• The most beautiful moments of life are brief.

• Perfection and paradise are unattainable.

• It is dangerous to forget that we will all die at some point.

Multiple Choice

What does the color "gold" most likely represent in the poem?

• the speaker's greed

• the speaker's dreams

• the slow passage of time

• the fleeting nature of beauty

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best presents an example of alliteration in the poem?

• "Her hardest hue to hold." (Line 2)

• "Her early leaf's a flower" (Line 3)

• "Then leaf subsides to leaf." (Line 5)

• "Nothing gold can stay." (Line 8)

Dropdown

[1] Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

[5] Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden* sank to grief,

So Dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

What is the stanza structure of "Nothing Gold Can Stay?" ​

Select answer

Multiple Choice

[1] Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

[5] Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden* sank to grief,

So Dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

What is the poem's rhyme scheme?

• ABABCDCD
• AABBAACC
• ABCCBAAB
• AABBCCDD

Multiple Choice

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

[5] Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden* sank to grief,

So Dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

What is the impact of personification in the poem?

• Personification emphasizes the permanent aspect of nature's beauty.

• It illustrates the struggle between light and darkness.

• It highlights the passing nature of beauty and life.

• It suggests that beauty is always within reach.

Multiple Choice

But only so an hour.

[5] Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden* sank to grief,

So Dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

What is the impact of the allusion to Eden in the poem?

• The allusion to Eden represents the promise of change in life.

• The allusion to Eden highlights that nothing remains permanent in its beautiful state.

• The allusion to Eden suggests a return to innocence.
• The allusion to Eden emphasizes the promise of beauty.