In William Shakespeare's poem "That Time of the Year", Shakespeare creates various images to describe the passage of time. Each metaphor provides a different way of expressing death, and each way expressed becomes shorter as the poem continues. The acceleration of events contrasts with the slowdown of life. The sequence of metaphors associated with time contributes to the theme of realizing the inevitability of death and taking advantage of final moments by providing very distinct and vivid comparisons between the passage of time in life and illustrations of consumption. In the first quatrain autumn is used as a metaphor. The few leaves that remain to hang have yellowed with age, as illustrated in the following quote: "When the yellow leaves, or none, or few, hang, / On the branches that tremble against the cold," (1-3). Proving that age takes its toll, these exposed, bare limbs are left shaking. Their physical beauty is diminished and they are more susceptible to the cold, harsh elements of life. Not only do the branches tremble from the cold, but they also tremble from fear of what is approaching. Death. The next line speaks of “Naked and ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.” (4), seems to refer to the remains of what remains, to the exposed and raw elements. The branches of the tree are barren. The place where the “choir” sang its sweet melody is now an empty space. The word “late” can possibly mean dead or close to death. This leads to the next quatrain which takes place late in the day and on the edge of darkness. The next quatrain contains a more expected metaphor between sleep and death. The sunset symbolizes warmth and life fading into darkness. When Shakespeare says, “That by and by the black night takes a… medium of paper… the understanding of time past and time that remains allows one to feel at ease with such circumstances and express a love that must soon retire. The metaphors that represent the theme throughout the poem are similar in the way they show the devastating and destructive factors of time. Furthermore, they provide a discourse on the issue of mortality. With the anticipation building from start to finish, Shakespeare is able to demonstrate a level of comfort around the inevitable. The continued imposition of death on life is a universal experience. Autumn becoming winter, day becoming night, and a flame diminishing completely illustrate this. The increased color intensity associated with the metaphors mimics the intensity of the ending. As the end draws ever closer, it becomes undeniable and provides the catalyst for the lesson of love.