Poem Leisure By: William Henry Davies

William Henry Davies

Born in Wales in 1871 A poor man Wrote poems based on his experience as a tramp. Died in 1940

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 cows.

Couplet 1

Couplet 2

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 stars 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 is if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare

Couplet 3

Couplet 4

Couplet 5

Couplet 6

Couplet 7

What is the poem about?

Reminds us to take time to appreciate the beauty of nature & be thankful to God. HOWEVER, if we are too busy with our daily life & worry too much, WE FORGET to watch & admire natures beauty. It is a sad life if we cant find time to relax and appreciate the nature around us.

BUSY LIFE

The meaning of the poem

Couplet 1
What is this life if, What is the purpose of life if full of care, full of worry (because too busy with work & problems) We have no time to stand and stare. We do not have time to pause and admire the nature around us.

..stand and stare

Couplet 2
No time to stand beneath the boughs, Busy people do not have time to stand under the trees And stare as long as sheep or cows Just like sheep and cows which graze in the fields. They just stand and stare at their surrounding.

..stand beneath the boughs

..stare as long as sheep or cows

Couplet 3
No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass. Busy people do not see squirrels hide their nuts in grass when they pass through the forests.

..woods we pass

..squirrels hide their nuts in grass

Couplet 4
No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like stars at night. Rivers sparkle in the sunlight. In the day, the rivers look like stars at night. But, busy people do not have time to see this.

Streams full of stars

Like stars at night

Couplet 5
No time to turn at Beautys glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance. Nature is personified as a beautiful woman who is glancing and dancing. When a woman glance or dance, she will move parts of her body. When nature changes, it is like a beautiful dancer. Busy people do not have time to admire the changes (movement) of nature.

Couplet 6
No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began. Busy people do not have time to watch the changes in nature. When nature changes, it is like a smile that starts from the eyes and spreads slowly to the mouth.

When nature changes, it is like a womans smile. The smile starts from the eyes and spreads slowly to the mouth.

Couplet 7
A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. It is a sad life if we do not have leisure time.

Poetic Devices

1. Rhyme
The repetition of the same sound at the end of a line in poem.

2. Imagery
The mental picture that attracts the senses

3. Alliteration
The repetition of consonant sounds in the first syllables of a series of words

4. Rhetorical question
A question which is asked, but not expected to get an answer.

5. Repetition
The repetition of words or lines in a poem

6. Metaphor
A comparison between 2 different things without using like or as

7. Simile
A comparison between 2 different things which uses like or as

8. Personification
Non-living things are given human qualities.