Nothing Gold Can Stay

Lessons from graduation, the garden, and Robert Frost. WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY PETER MOORE

MY NIECE GRADUATED from the University of Rochester a few days ago. We were on hand for the festivities, so we heard the word “Meliora” about a thousand times. It’s Latin for “ever better”—the university’s exhausting and intimidating motto.

Ever Better? Really?

These kids just finished four years of covid-deranged study. Can’t they take a break from rele…