TITLE-LEISURE

BY – WILLIAM
HENRY DAVIS
Topic prepared by – Prabhjot kaur
School’s Name- Govt High School
Kotli Mallian
Amritsar.
Designation- Computer Faculty
 POEM -LEISURE
EXTRACT---What is this life of, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep's or cows.
No time to see , when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

PARAPHRASE-This is no life worth living, if we cant

spare a few moments to stand in a vacant mood
and look at the objects of the nature. It is a pity
we cant get time to stand under the delicate
branches of trees , where sheep and cows stand
and enjoy themselves. It is so sad that we cant
have a short time even to enjoy the beauty of the
forest while we pass through it and also to see
how the squirrel moves about and hides the nuts
at a safe place.
 POEM- LEISURE
EXTRACT- No time to see , in broad day light,
Streams full of stars ,likes skies at night.
No time to turn at beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet , how they dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich , the smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

PARAPHRASE- We have got no time to see , in broad day light how

the water of the streams sparkles (shines) like stars . We don’t
have leisure to glance at the stars shining 9in the sky at the night.
Men of these times, cant spare time to enjoy the dance of the
beautiful girl whose face gets radiant with a smile when she gives
her performance . Such sort of life is no doubt pitiable which does
not allow man to stand still and look at the charms around.
 EXPLANATION

The poet regrets , our life is too busy

t0o enjoy the beautiful objects of
nature. We are so engrossed in our
worldly routine of life that we cant ill
afford to snatch a few moments to
glance at the beauty of a maid,
whose face has been enriched with a
smile . We are too busy in our cares.
How dull and cheerless such life is!
 WORD MEANINGS
CARE- worry, anxiety.
Stand and Stare- stand in a carefree mood and enjoy the
environments.
Stare- look intently.
Woods we pass- we pass through forests.
Hide their nuts- keep their food concealed.
Broad day light- when the sun is shining.
Stream full of stars- the wavelets in the water of stream
shinning in the sun rays.
Skies at night- the starlit skies at night.
Beauty’s glance-pretty eyes of dancing girl.
Enrich the smile- make the face look charming because of
smile.
 Summary
Our life today , is awfully busy . There are worries and cares
in it. We are mostly busy solving the problems facing us.
We don’t have leisure to look at the nature and enjoy it .
Nature is full of beauties that can afford us utmost
pleasure. But we haven't a moment’s time to stand and
stare at them . Such life is dull and dreary.

Sheep and cows even stand vacantly under the trees they
look beautiful. So are the green forests with squirrels
running about in them. Streams look bright when the
rays of the sun fall on the waVe lets of water the stars
look beautiful at night. But we can hardly spare time to
enjoy their beauty. Likewise we cant and don’t snatch a
few moments to look at the dancing girl and appreciate
her smiling beauty. Such life is , no doubt , charm less.
The company of nature and beauties contained in it only
can make our life full of grace and charms.
 QUESTION AND AND ANSWER
Q-1 What does the poet mean by ‘ leisure’ in the poem?
Ans- By leisure the poet means vacant time to get out of the cares of the world
and enjoy the beauties of nature.

Q-2 Which objects of nature does he mention in the poem?

Ans- The objects of nature mentioned by the poet are sheep and cows standing
under shady trees , water of the stream looking bright in the light of the sun ,
squirrels running about in the woods, the bright stars twinkling in the sky at
night and a graceful girl dancing with a smile on her face.

Q-3 What do you understand by “ Streams full of stars”?

Ans- It means the brightly shining water of the stream when the rays of the sun
fall on the wavelets rising up and down.

Q-4 Paraphrase the given lines:

(11)What is this life…………..
………….. To stand and stare.

(2) A poor life this ………….

……………..to stand and stare.
Answer:
(1) What is this life , full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
(2) A poor life this is , full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
 PREPARED BY
Prabhjot kaur
Govt High School
KOTLI MALLIAN