LEISURE

                    LEISURE

                                                                                           

                                                                LEISURE

What 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 crows.

No time to see, when 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 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.

            This short but very impressive poem belongs to the Welsh poet and writer William Henry Davies (1871-1940). He spent most of his time in the United States and the United Kingdom as a tramp. Despite this fact, he became a prominent poet of his time. He is however continued to be known as a tramp poet.

 

            Leisure is a world famous poem. It draws the difference between a cares--laden and a carefree life which allows people some leisure to watch nature with all its beautiful varieties. There is a latent criticism of modern man’s life-style of too much interest in duties and lack of interest in beauties. The message of the poet is : live a rich carefree life instead of poor life full of routine cares of daily life.  

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G.R.Kanwal

23 July 2023