Leisure A Poem by William Davies

By William Davis
Q1. The modern man can not stand and stare? How can we change this attitude?
William Davies complains that the modern man does not have time for the best
enjoyments of life. He is mostly busy with his daily activities at home and in society. It
means that he works at home and outside, earns money and spends it, eats and sleeps.
The poet advises him to take some time out of his daily engagements and share social
enjoyments. If he does it, his attitude towards life will become balanced.
Firstly, the poet invites the modern man to beautiful village scenes. There he can stand
under trees in fields to watch beautiful nature surroundings. He can breathe the fresh air
and stare at nature.
Secondly, the worldly man should visit stream of water shining brightly in the sun. He
can imagine them to be full of stars in their brilliant reflection at night.
Thirdly, the worldly man can visit dancing halls or theaters to enjoy the dance and looks
of beautiful women. If the worldly man follows the poet’s words, he will be truly happy
and satisfied. He will then enjoy his work even. His enjoyments will keep him healthy and
satisfied. He will no more feel worried and depressed. His problem will grow less and his
pleasures will increase.
Q2:What joys or simple delights in nature and in society does William Davies talk
about that we miss so easily?
Ans: According to William Davies we miss these delights. Firstly, we have no time to
stand under branches of trees to watch natural surroundings like sheep or cows. Animals
are Secondly, we have no time to spend in the woods where squirrels or other small
animals hide their nuts or other eating material in the grass and bushes. It is a pleasure
to watch these activities of birds. Thirdly, we have time to look at clear streams of water
in sunlight shining brilliantly as the stars shine in the sky at night
Fourthly, we have no time to enjoy in surprise the looks of a beautiful women direct at
us. We also do not have time to watch her playful dance. We are not prepared to wait in
her company to see a smile in her eyes spreading her sweet mouth.
The poet concludes that the life that we live in modern society is quite poor, as it is full of
worries and problems for us. We have not the time or leisure to stand at ease and enjoy
looking around at natural beauties and artistic social activities.
Q3: What are some of the things you personally miss because of lack of time?
Ans: Some of the things I personally miss because of shortage or lack of time are visits to
the most beautiful parts of my country in the north. Also I do not watch the most
appealing and impressive plays produced in different countries, I do not read the best
novels of the world.
I often regret why I can not move out of my city towards the northern areas like Swat,
Chitraal, Gilgit, and Sakerdu that contain limitless beauties of Nature. The scenes in
these areas that my eyes can not watch or not less glamorous and bright that those in
Switzerland Australia and Canada
I miss the joys of weaving the best musical plays staged in different parts of the world.
The plays are based on well-knit plots, contain songs and dances and reflect diverse
cultures. The actresses or majestically beautiful like the dancer in “ Leisure” by William
Davies.
Lastly, I miss the joy of fiction or novels that I can easily get in my free hours. But these
hours I spend planning future business work or meeting people who can benefit me or
sleeping uselessly. I thing I should not have a life “full of care” or selfish interests, “a
poor life “as pointed out by William Davies.
Q4: What personification? The poet has used a personification in the poem. Can you
point it out and explain?
Ans: In personification, we present lifeless object like machines amd buildings and
qualities like honesty, truth, etc. as persons we show them as having human qualities. For
example: First, we met Sympathy and fraud on the way. Here these qualities are
presented as persons. Second, Power, know ye the value of humanity? In the above line,
Power” means powerful people. In “Leisure” the personification used by the poet is
“Beauty”. It means a most beautiful women, the dancing, charming, mesmerizing woman
in the poet. Beauty is a quality, but here it is the personification f beautiful, and rightly
begins with a capital B. Beauty now etymologically ( according to the historic
development of worlds) also means “someone beautiful or a beautiful woman”. Also
note: I like to see Beauty and Honesty talking together.
Q.5 The poet has used a personification in his poem “Leisure”, can you point it out?
Ans: “Personification” means to present some abstracts thing in human form or to
attribute human qualities to some abstract thing or a non-human thing. In his poem
“Leisure”, the poet has personified ‘Beauty’. He has created a magical effort by
personification beauty. The poet says that we have no time to watch the foot of ‘Beauty’
while dancing. In fact, “Beauty” dances in the form of different colourful flowers and
other beautiful objects of nature. Then the poet has attributed the human quality of
‘smiling’ to beauty also. He thinks that beauty starts its smile through its eyes. (with that
smile (The poet compares a blooming flower to the mouth). Thus, the poet has attributed
human qualities of dancing and smiling to beauty. Thus the poet has personified beauty
in a beautiful way.
Reference to context: This stanza has been taken from the poem “Leisure” written by a
great saint poet “William Davies.”
Context: In this highly thought provoking poem, the poet satires the negative behaviour
of modern man who is so much engrossed in the worldly activities and does not enjoy the
beauties of nature lying around him. The poet condemns his negative attitude and
compares him to the other creature of God.

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