Poems often tell about the reasons people should take risks and never give up until they start trying. In Henry van Dyke's poem Doors of Daring, he explains how people are sometimes held back from taking chances. The author narrates people challenging mountains and oceans even when they know that they are far from measuring up to them. He then writes about the individuals who are continuously held back from trying something new. In three lines of the poem, the message to take risks is expressed through the author's use of symbolism and imagery.

In one particular line of the poem, Henry van Dyke's moral is displayed through his use of symbolism. The line states, "Invite the fearless foot to scale, their stairway toward the sky." The line tells people to challenge things, even if you are small when compared to it. The stairway symbolizes a pathway that...