What is this life, full of care
We have on time to stand and stare?
Now time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows:
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 dace:
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)
Theme: The poet has based this poem on personal experience. He thinks that one is so busy in coping with daily routine of life that most of the time the beauty and the joys of life are ignored.
One has no time to enjoy and look at the wonders around us. He has mentioned. The animals on the pastures, the stars in the sky, the music and smiles around him. According to the poet’s point of view, a man’s life is so full of worries and care that he cannot even stand and look up at things as they are around him.
Exercises
1. Read the poem and complete the lines with rhyming words.
i. What is the life if, full of care
We have no time to stand and ………..
ii. No time to see in broad day……….
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
iii. A poor life this if, full of care
We have no time to stand and………..
2. Why do you think the poet has given this title to his poem when he is talking about life full of care with no time to stand and stare. (100 to 150 words)
3. What is the poet trying to say in the last two lines of the poem?
4. Write down the pairs of all rhyming words in the poem.
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