Which best summarizes the first stanza of James Russell Lowell's "Life"? A. Night is something to fear and avoid because nothing can be accomplished then. B. Everyone is a writer, but only a few people can write masterpieces. C. Do not neglect your dreams or they will explode. D. Life is short, and we have little time to make an impact on the world.

The correct answer is D. Life is short, and we have little time to make an impact on the world. The poet compares everyone's life to a blank paper. It is blank once we are born and it is up to us to fill it out in the best possible way. But, we can only write a ''word or two'' - this means we dn't have much time, since lfe is short and it goes by quickly. ''Then comes night'' stands for the moment we all need to face sooner or later - death. Therefore, we need to use our time wisely and leave something behind when we're gone.