In the poem “To an Athlete Dying Young” by E. A. Houseman the author feels that fame is fleeting and that it is better to die young while your achievements are still being celebrated then it is to live a long life after the fame and glory of your heydays are behind you. The author talks about how fast fame passes us by in the blink of an eye and that the athlete by passed this by dying young. The authors feelings that it is better to die a young successful athlete is better than to live a long life can be seen in the third stanza. Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay. And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose The author clearly feels that the athlete chose the smart way to
