Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A poem

Leisure
by William Henry 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 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 if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

6 comments:

BLACK AND WHITE said...

Yes, to stand and stare...what rarity!

IstvanBloggin' said...

Yes, standing and staring... Gustave Flaubert said that anything becomes interesting if you look at it long enough. I would say that everything becomes beautiful if you know how to look.
This can be seen on your photos, your eye finds beauty in the most common places, "in humble places where other people see nothing" as Pissarro said.

Jo Bradford said...

I have always loved the sentiments in this verse!

IstvanBloggin' said...

Hi Jo. I agree, it really has a quite special mood.

ArtPropelled said...

My word for the year is replenish. This poem fits my mood.

IstvanBloggin' said...

Glad you like it Robyn!