Today, I write about one of my favourite poems. I think life is moving very fast (yet long way to achieve goals). In todays times I always remember this poem (collected below) and find it so true. The poem is wonderfully and aptly titled 'Leisure'. I am sure many readers would be able to relate with this poem and its title. Little things in life endow you with big joys. Sometimes just watching a bird making its nest is such a big experience. It fills you with so much vigour and enthusiasm that it is unbelievable that such a small thing (for humans) can give us big pleasures. Sometimes, I just feel that in todays time of time running out of watches, people running behind goals and their deadlines, skipping breakfasts and lunches, spending hours before television in the name of relaxation.....people have forgotten about simple leisures of life. The poem here, by Henry Davies talks about these small and yet very beautiful leisures of life
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 cows.
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.
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
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.
(Wm. Henry Davies (1871-1940) is to be considered as the poet of the tramps. Born at Newport, Wales in the UK, Davies came to America from Great Britain and lived the life of a vagabond. One day, as the result of jumping a train, he lost one of legs. Davies returned to England where he continued to live the life of a tramp and a pedlar. He wrote poetry (presumably he did right along) and, eventually, he determined to print his own book and did so with the little money he earned panhandling. A copy of this first work, A Soul's Destroyer, came into the hands of George Bernard Shaw; which, in turn, led to the popularization of the poet.
.....So, people read this poem and get inspired to take a tini-mini break and enjoy the good things and fine pleasures of life.....Good luck...
Thanks for this poem. But the title of poem is Leisure not leisures...
ReplyDeleteYes, I also realized it is 'Leisure'. Thanks for reminding me. Keep commenting more often, it is a big source of motivation for me as the writers block is getting difficult to overcome :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Shaifali,
ReplyDeleteWhat you've said about is really true. Many people whom I see in daily life becomes damn mad about their work in this materialistic world. They dont even find time to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of this nature and other marvellous things. It happens at times for us too, after all we are human beings.
That was a nice piece of article and hope you come up with much more nice blogposts in future. My best wishes !!!
Thanks very much Karthik. Comments motivate me to write and write better.
ReplyDeleteThis poem was written a long time ago and was something the poet observed in that era, just imagine how things have changed multifold. We have been so busy running after things which will never be ours in absolute terms. Only thing which can be ours in absolute terms is the love and the happiness. But do we cherish those simple two words whenever we get them no matter in how much quantity? That is because we have stopped enjoying little things in our lives and hence the poem, such simple poem but so deep.
ReplyDeleteTrue that we have no time to stand and stare. I love capturing the moements in my life just for these above lines. I want to stand and stare..
thanks for sharing this with us. Well done Shaifali.. :)