Poem Leisure

By: William Henry Davies

Prepared by Nuurunnuha Md Hatta
SAMBBST, Sepang, Selangor.
http://teachernuha.blogspot.com/
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. Couplet 1

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows. Couplet 2

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass. Couplet 3

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like stars at night. Couplet 4

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance. Couplet 5

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began. Couplet 6

A poor life this is if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare Couplet 7
 What is the poem about?
Reminds us to take time to appreciate the
beauty of nature & be thankful to God for all
His creations.
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.