Leisure - W.H Davies

Leisure - W.H Davies

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[alert-primary] Short Summary [/alert-primary]

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Introduction: 

    Davies in his poem "Leisure" highlights the importance of nature and its role in maintaining mental well-being. The modern civilization has brought several negative effects on human life. It has taken away the simplicity that people once had. Davies suggests that today people need to take time to love and appreciate nature.

Structure

"Leisure" is made up of 7 couplets.The poem's rhyme system is AA BB.

Themes

    Davies explains themes like modernism, simplicity, spirituality, nature, and especially relaxation. The main focus of the poem is leisure and it explains the importance of taking nature into account. 

Short Summary

    In this poem, "Leisure", Davies talks about living a life that is "full of caring". For many, the life is mechanical and they lack time to relax. The poet feels that they are very much occupied that they can't even take a moment to "stand" and "stare" at the simple beauty of nature. He notes that nowadays, people rarely take the time to pause and observe, unlike sheep or cows.

What is the this life if, full of care

We have no time to stand and stare

No time to stand beneath the bough

And stare as long as sheep and cows

    Then Davies says that modern people rush through forests without noticing them. They also don’t see where squirrels hide their nuts in the grass. The poet compares the shining streams to stars in the night sky. It shows how people are disconnected from nature. These wonders can be noticed by taking a slow walk in the woods or watching the streams during the day.

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

     The poet then highlights how people often miss the chance to truly appreciate a beautiful girl dancing gracefully, her legs moving with such poise. They rarely pause to see her smile fully bloom, even though her eyes already show her happiness. When someone smiles, their eyes are the first to reveal their joy. You can see feelings through their face. 

    In the last couplet, the poet points out that a woman who doesn't take the time to enjoy these moments leads a "poor life," which represents a lack of emotional depth. The final two lines emphasize this idea again.

No time to turn at beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance

No time wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare

Conclusion : 

W.H. Davies, in his poem "Leisure," talks about how fast-paced our lives are. We often miss the chance to enjoy the beauty around us. We can't even take a moment to relax under the green trees and admire nature. Even farm animals seem to enjoy life more than we do. This poem reflects the truth about our lives.

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