The Mindful Homeschool

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

This is the poem that my former college professor recited to his students on more than one occasion.  It was said that he made many of his students memorize this poem.  At his funeral mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary, three poems were read.  The last one was this poem by Robert Frost.  The whole congregation was invited to read it out loud together. 

I learned a lot from this gentle and humble writer, poet and teacher.  I am grateful that I was able to be a student and a writer in Jon Hassler’s classes.  I wish that he had more time to spend here on earth with all of us.  The literary world has lost a good writer, friend and teacher.  I plan to re-read some of his works this year.  And I plan to memorize this poem.  Jon Hassler died on March 20, on the cusp of springtime.  He left this world much too soon.  But his words, his books and the lessons he has taught all of us will go on forever.