'Sonnet IX' Summary

Hartley Coleridge's Sonnet IX is a beautifully written and deeply moving poem about the fleeting nature of life and beauty. The poem begins with the speaker observing the changing seasons and the fading of flowers, and then draws parallels to the way in which human life and beauty are also fleeting. The speaker reflects on the fact that even the most beautiful and youthful things must eventually come to an end, and that death is an inevitability that we must all face. The poem concludes with a somber reminder that we should cherish the time we have and make the most of our lives while we can.