Leisure

by

W. H. Davies

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 and 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. 

William Henry Davies (1871-1940) is one of the most popular poets of his time. He wrote mostly on nature, the hardships of a poor life, and his adventures as a tramp. He spent most of his life in America and England as a tramp, travelling form place to place doing odd jobs and of course, having all sorts of adventures, all of which he described in his book Autobiography of a Supertramp (co-authored with George Bernard Shaw). His life was indeed one without much leisure, but full of fun (despite hardship) nonetheless!