LEISURE
Synopsis
In the poem Leisure the persona talks about taking time to look around and notice the beauty of
little things around us. What good is life if we do not take time to stand or look at what is happening
around us? Life should not be busy all the time. We should slow down and look at nature and
appreciate it. We should take advantage of the little time we have in life and pay attention to the
little things.
The poem reminds us to take time to appreciate the beauty of nature. However, if we are too busy
with our daily life & worry too much, we forget to watch and admire nature’s [Link] is a sad life if
we can’t find time to relax and appreciate the nature around us.
Stanza 1
The poet, W. H. Davies, begins by questioning the purpose of a life which is so full of worry
that it does not allow us any time to simply stand still and watch the world go by. In the next
few couplets, he describes the various things that people are not able to do due to lack of
leisure.
Stanza 2
Sheep and cows can often be seen standing still in vast open fields and staring into a distance.
People living a busy life would not possess the leisure to stand under the branches of trees
and keep gazing on and on like such ruminants.
Stanza 3
W. H. Davies further adds that when such people pass a forest or a woodland, they would be
in too much of a hurry to notice the nooks and crannies in the grass where squirrels conceal
their nuts. They would not possess the leisure to notice the various aspects of the natural
world around them.
Stanza 4
In daylight, streams appear to be sparkling under the effect of sunshine making it seem as if
the streams are full of stars like the night sky. However, such beauties of nature are likely to
be missed by people overburdened by anxiety and living a life of haste without any leisure,
remarks W.H. Davies.
Stanza 5 & 6
The poet states that the beauty of the world around us which many often fail to observe due to
a lack of leisure. The dancing feet and enchanting smile refers to various aspects of the
beauty of nature around us.
Stanza 7
In the final couplet of the poem, Davies states that a life which is so bogged down by worry
that it allows one no time for leisure is indeed a miserable life. If you read the first couplet of
‘Leisure’ carefully, you will notice that although it ends with a full stop, (and is hence in the
form of a statement) it can also be interpreted as a question asked by the poet. In that case,
the final couplet can be seen as W. H. Davies’ answer to his own question.
SETTING
The English countryside where there are farms with sheep and cows. There are woods
with wild animals like squirrels. There are streams.
There is no specific time mentioned and can be both past and present.
PERSONA
The persona could be the poet himself. In the poem, the persona thinks and wonders
about life. He believes that life should be enjoyed at a slower pace. he loves outdoor
and nature and he wants everybody to think about their life too.
THEME
1. The importance of leisure
the title itself is the main theme of the poem. The poet says that a life without leisure is a
great loss. The phrase no time is repeated throughout the poem. This is to emphasize how
important it is to find time to enjoy the beauty around us. The poem encourages us to put
aside our worries and busy schedules for a while and to take a break. We should do nothing
and look at what is happening around us.
2. Managing our time
The poem describes us needing to manage our time better. We need to find time where can
put aside work and worries to stop and relax. If we manage our time well, we will have
leisure which will benefit us.
3. Appreciating nature
According to the poem, nature has many wonders and mysteries. We should marvel at such
sparkling streams an the squirrel hiding its nuts. Finding time to appreciate nature will help us
to relax. It helps us to lead better life.
MESSAGE
1. Take a break
Life can get very busy. We might be so full of care that we do not notice what is happening
around us. We need to slow down and enjoy life. Look at the beauty around us and take time
to smile at people. Then we will have a happy life.
2. Manage your time well
We need to manage our time. Being our own time manager we can find some free time. If
we do not handle our time well, we will not get a break and enjoy simple joys of life. Having
no time for leisure will make us unhealthy and unhappy.
3. Enjoy nature
Nature is beautiful. Like the sheep and cows, we should spend time enjoying the beauty and
wonders of our natural surroundings. We should not rush around and miss out on simple joy
os seing beautiful trees, sparkling streams and clever animals.
MORAL VALUES
1. We should be grateful for life and treasure life and do not let it pass us by.
2. We need to love and appreciate nature.
3. Everything we see, touch, smell and hear make our life beautiful
4. We should use leisure creatively to strengthen our minds and hearts.
[Link] should practice moderation by not spending all our time working and worrying about
our problems. We need to balance our lives with leisure and enjoyment.
[Link] is transient and what we have today may disappear tomorrow, so appreciate what we
have today.
7. We should take care of ourselves and take a break from our busy schedule.
TONE AND MOOD
The persona sounds thoughtful and questioning. The tone is conversational, contemplative
and reflective. The persona feels that people have become too absorbed in their work that
they have no time to relax. He also reminds and warns us if we are too busy rushing around
an too full of our own problems to take a break, we will not be [Link] mood is one of
regret at a life that is so full of care that we do not know how to relax or stand and stare. The
persona regrets that our busy life prevents us from enjoying the simple joys and pleasure of
leisure. The persona is also giving advice on ways to enjoy simple pleasures of life.
