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 or 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 is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
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awnser me
From guest pooby (contact)
what does "full of care" mean
("too many responsibilities" I would think - MOD) -
stream of full stars
From guest pooby (contact)
what is the meaning of stream of full stars? can anybody tell it to me. -
"Liesure" Ageless.
From guest Stanley Bateman (contact)
Few, taking life too seriously, understand the magic contained in the 'directive' of this poem. Look at the faces around one..........we are only here for a brief period and then we all pass. What have we seen? The balance sheet or the vibrancy of LIFE. -
Why did this OLD poet use metre'? "I-like-rhymes" why does Beauty need to be anything feminin??? "Beauty" is anything beautiful.
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I remember having to learn this one at school and not thinking very much about it either way. Just another poem we had to study. Now it means so much more and makes me wonder why I never saw anything back then. Too young and silly I suppose, now I understand.
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In todays world of rush and bustle all the time, we could all gain from heeding the message within this lovely poem. Appreciate the beauty that is all around us every day.
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very thought ful one of the best ones iv read
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YAY... this is one of my favourite poems.... i love it... love what the poem conveys...
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simplicity
Worry clouds vision. So true -
leisure
From guest Sue Kenworthy (contact)
it is so important that we take time out to stand and stare.Life is so precious and we only live once.This poem should be read every day to keep us on an even keel. -
This certainly is a clear depiction of what we have created for our lives...no time to 'stop and smell the roses' It is a wonderful rhyme...easy to read and flows so smoothly
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an important reminder, life moves on and we need to find time to stop and stare, notice the miracles that seem to fall down upon us like rain, beauty in sunsets, stars and night, and that special smile... remarkable poetry here...PK
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This poem may have been written yesterday as it's theme is current and reflect so many aspects of modern life.
Lines 11 and 12 are just beautiful and any 'modern' woman would who not be flattered by this is missing out on so much.
Von -
Robert Phillip 'fillip' Hanssen, spy
From guest DCR (contact)
Hanssen received a communique from the KGB, or someone posing as the KGB, containing a poem based upon Davies Leisure. From the FBI's affidavit: "Time is flying. As a poet said; 'What's our life, If full of care You have no time To stop and stare?'" -
This has long been one of my favourite poems and it is certainly the most useful.
As I get older it is increasingly difficult to climb the hills and dales that abound around here. So I stop and recite Davies' words. They give me a chance to get my breath back, to enjoy the scenery and to educate my fellow walkers.
I also feel that it would appeal to the author that his words have been declaimed in so many of the places he is talking about in the first few couplets.
Unfortunately it is no longer politically correct to stand and stare at feminine beauty in the same way that he appears to describe in the later couplets.
Ah well! It's still a great poem
Jim S
Edited on Dec 25, 4:04 p.m. because ''. -
In this poem davies protests against the hurry and worry of life,and mechanic attitude of man.''WHAT IS THIS LIFE IF FULL OF CARE'' which makes the life of a person miserable.
Man is the crown of all creatures but unfortunately his life is worse than animals due to lack of time and his boring,dull, mechanical routine.The basic idea of the poet is emphasized by the repition of the line:
WE HAVE NO TIME TO STAND AND STARE.
Lack of time is the main reason of depriving man from enjoying the life to its fullest.well in this poemthe poet use a rhyme scheme.Rising and falling tone at the end of every line of the poem is really appealling.Davies made use of couplets here.People are worshipping mamoth.Thats why there are anxities and frustrations in life.Well i believe ''excess of everything is bad''.The conclusion he derived from life is that this is a poor life.Mechanical life is not a life atall.Wordsworth has also presented the similar idea in his famous sonnet and i really love these lines:
''THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US:LATE OR SOON
GETTING AND SPENDING WE LAY WASTE AUR POWERS
LITTLE WE SEE IN NATURE THAT IS OURS''.
Personification of beauty here is very appealling.
The whole poem is fantastic.
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