How do you interpret the poem "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








what are some different meanings that can be seen in the poem?


does the poem sound upsetting or encouraging to you?

How do you interpret the poem "nothing gold can stay"?
The general theme of this poem





...is the passage of time and it's eternal repetitiveness





...and also points out that the most glorious times of a tree's life are very short lived and the rest of a trees existence (symbolizing life) is common and mundane compared to certain more glorious moments in it's life.





The poem urges us to compare the tree's life with the meaning of our existence ...are we here only for a relatively few glory days or are all the days in between more important? There is a religious overtone, with the mention of Eden ...I expect it is a reference to God's hand in all this existence stuff.





The poem is a bit sombre I find, as it suggests that nothing good will last! True maybe, but still a little morbid.
Reply:The things you hold beloved never stay forever. btw, nice poem, cna I post it?
Reply:Enjoy it while it lasts, time goes by so quickly.


Stay gold Pony