"The Chambered Nautilus"

"The Chambered Nautilus" is a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes that uses the nautilus shell as a metaphor for personal growth and lifelong development. The poem describes how the nautilus creates new, larger chambers as it grows, leaving behind old ones. Holmes likens this to how humans should continuously seek progress, learning, and self-improvement throughout life. The poem encourages resilience and embracing change, emphasizing that growth involves moving forward while learning from the past, much like the nautilus adds new chambers while preserving its history.