Nothing Gold Can Stay

    The hour hand pointed at eight and my ear-splitting alarm clock rang. My sticky eyes opened and my day started. The sky was glimmering dark blue with no sign of day began to unfold. Then, I prepared myself for school. As usual, as I opened the garage door, an avalanche of snow is waiting to be scooped aside and the chilling below zero temperature of arctic wind could be felt until my spine. Obediently, I scooped the snow away, making way for the family car.

    Everything from the top to the ground was covered in snow. Luckily the snow were white enough to shine my journey to school in the gloomy dark morning. Upon reaching school, the smiling faces of my friends can be seen afar, waiting for me to kick start the day. As a kid, the best part of school was recess. Before I even reach the playground, my hand was lowered to the ground with my fingers digging into the snow. I gently sculpt the pile of snow on my hand and ready for a snowball fight. Expected, the glowing medallion in the sky started to blaze and enlighten my day and made every moment more merrier.

    Around 3 o'clock, my mother will be a totem pole outside of the school compound waiting for me. When my school ends, it has been a routine for me to spend my afternoon at the park. Many golden hues form the color of the leaves that lay scattered around. A slight breeze whispers along the trees as I walked by, teasing more leaves to release their tentative hold. In the centre of the park lies the lake where I feed the hungry white ducks with the bread I brought along. After awhile, I returned to my mother's embrace and drive back home for dinner.

    When the sun dropped out of sight, glowing orange sky threaded with silver lining filled the horizon. I was amazed admiring at the majestic scenery of sunset in Alaska. Soon, I reached home and dinner was prepared. The whole family gobbled the food and got ready for another hibernation in a place where the sun is only seen for several hours and the winter lasts for 9 months.

    After the September 11 tragedy, everything changes. Today, I am walking on a green grass under the hot scorching sun every day. My shirt is always wet due to my nature of sweating easily. I am now in Malaysia. However, when anyone mentions about snow, my mind will be drifted back to my precious time in Alaska and setting a goal to return to the states. Those times are my definition of gold. Yet, nothing gold can stay.

Nothing Gold Can Stay is a poem I'm studying right now by Robert Frost which is mainly about good things that's won't last forever.