Leisure Poem By William Davies

LEISURE

When is this life if full of care

We have no time to stand and stare

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cowa.

No time to see, when woods we pass

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at beauty’s glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

By (William Davies)

Leisure:

As the title of the poem suggests. It is about the availability of time for relishing the various delights of life. These may range from the most ordinary every day pleasure of simply staring at things, to the extra ordinary, like and hurried manner in which we spend our lives depriving ourselves of savouring the richness and diversity that life offers. He feels that life must be relished in leisurely offers. He feels that life must be relished in a leisurely manner--- the repetition of the line: “We have no time to stand and stare”, emphasizes the poet’s basic idea.

Introduction of William Davis:

William Davies was born in 1871 and died in 1940.After serving as apprentice to a picture-frame maker, he tramped through the U.S, crossed the Atlantic many times on cattle boats, became a peddler and street-singer in England and late in life. Published his first volume of poems.

“The soul‘s Destroyer and other poems”. In 1905.This was followed by “Nature Poems and Others”, in 1908.Davies was something of a recluse and the man was never as well known to the public as his work which achieved great popularity. What distinguishes his work from that of his Georgian contemporaries is the truth and simplicity of his lyrics.

William Davis is a famous poet and great lover of nature. Most of his poems are about objects of nature and beauty of nature. This poem “Leisure” is about time free from work or duties. The poet laments at this sad fact that we are busy in our world to such an extent that we cannot tend free time to beauties of nature. Man is running blindly after materialistic things. One must get some time to see and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Critical Appreciation:

This poem is a criticism on modern man’s has become so busy in his work that he has not even a single moment to see and appreciate the beauties of nature. There are so many charming scenes to enjoy and according to poet we should enjoy them.

“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” (Keats)

About Leisure:

The language of the poem is simple and straightforward. There are 14 lines in the poem like a sonnet but actually, it is a two liner poem. The description of the poem is very impressive.   When the poet says that we must see squirrels hiding their nuts in grass, shining streams in daylight and beautiful dancing ladies.All these things create enchanting scenes and situation in the poem.

“No time to turn at beauty’s glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.”