That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,
Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.
This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.
Which metaphor or imagery from the sonnet most effectively communicates that life, like love, is ephemeral?
Explanation
Answer: A - The metaphor from the sonnet that most effectively communicates that life, like love, is ephemeral is, “In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire/that on the ashes of his youth doth lie.” In this metaphor, life is being compared to a fire, and one’s youth to what is burned to ashes as one lives. In this comparison one can see the remains of youth as death approaches, highlighting how ephemeral, or short-lived, a life is.
