These were the last words spoken to Pony by Jonny before he passed away. Johnny was reciting one of Ponyboy’s favorite poems “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost. The world seems to light up just before sunset, turning the world gold. Just for a few moments, everything is bright and perfect then it goes dark. Just like a person's outlook on life, a tragic event or loss of a loved one has the potential to turn someone cold and dark. Johnny tells Pony that no matter what life throws his way, he must never let himself grow cold and bitter.