Leisure
English Workshop
1. Say where . . . . . . .
(a) Where do the cows and sheep stand? ……………
Answer: The cows and sheep stand beneath the boughs.
(b) Where do squirrels store their food? ……………
Answer: Squirrels store their food in the grass.
(c) Where do stars shine in the daytime? …………..
Answer: Stars shine in the streams, reflecting like the night sky.
(d) Where does Beauty’s smile begin? ………………
Answer: Beauty’s smile begins with her eyes.
2. Think and answer in your own words.
(a) What could have inspired the poet to compose this poem? Do you think it relates to our present day life? Defend your choice.
Answer: The poet, William Henry Davies, might have been inspired by the growing busyness of life during the industrial age, where people were losing touch with nature due to work and responsibilities. He seems to lament the lack of time to enjoy simple pleasures like observing nature. This absolutely relates to our present-day life, where technology, work, and fast-paced schedules leave little room for appreciating the world around us. For example, many people today are glued to screens and rarely pause to enjoy a sunset or a quiet walk in the woods, making the poem’s message timeless and relevant.
(b) Which line proves that in our busy lives we do not even have a fraction of a second to enjoy nature’s beauty?
Answer: The line “What is this life if, full of care, / We have no time to stand and stare?” proves this. It highlights how our constant preoccupation with worries and tasks leaves no moment to simply stop and take in nature’s wonders.
(c) ‘Beauty’ in stanza 5 to 6 can refer to a beautiful maiden as well as nature itself. Explain when and how nature ‘dances’ and also ‘smiles’.
Answer: Nature ‘dances’ when its elements move gracefully-like leaves swaying in the wind, waves rippling on a lake, or flowers bending in a breeze. For example, trees seem to dance when their branches sway rhythmically. Nature ‘smiles’ when it reveals its charm and warmth, such as when the sun shines brightly after rain, flowers bloom vibrantly, or a calm landscape glows under soft light. These actions mimic human expressions, making nature feel alive and joyful.
(d) Why does the poet call our life ‘poor’?
Answer: The poet calls our life ‘poor’ because, despite material wealth or achievements, we miss out on the richness of nature’s beauty and tranquility. A life filled with care and no time to enjoy simple joys-like watching streams or squirrels-is spiritually and emotionally impoverished, lacking true fulfillment.
3. You have learnt that when a human attribute is given to anything that is not a human being or it is spoken of as a person, the Figure of Speech used is called ‘Personification’.
(a) Pick out two examples of Personification from the poem.
Answer:
- “And watch her feet, how they can dance” – Nature (or Beauty) is given the human ability to dance.
- “No time to wait till her mouth can / Enrich that smile her eyes began” – Nature (or Beauty) is described as smiling, a human trait.
(b) Pick out from the poem, two examples of each of the following Figures of Speech.
(1) Alliteration (2) Simile (3) Metaphor
Answer:
(1) Alliteration
- “Stand and stare” (repetition of the ‘s’ sound).
- “Streams full of stars” (repetition of the ‘s’ sound).
(2) Simile
- “Streams full of stars, like skies at night” (compares streams to skies using ‘like’).
- “And stare as long as sheep or cows” (compares human staring to sheep or cows using ‘as’).
(3) Metaphor
- “A poor life this if, full of care” (life is indirectly called poor, implying its lack of richness).
- “Streams full of stars” (stars are a metaphor for the sparkling reflections in the water).
(c) The poet opens his poem with a question. Is the question asked to receive some answer? No. It is a question used to emphasize and stress upon the fact that modern man has no time to enrich his life from nature.’
Such a device used by poets falls under the Figure of Speech called ‘Interrogation’ or ‘Rhetorial Question’. Refer to the poem ‘The Pilgrim’ and find examples of Interrogation.
Answer:
Since the poem “The Pilgrim” is not provided in the document, I’ll explain based on the concept. Interrogation (Rhetorical Question) examples from “Leisure” include:
- “What is this life if, full of care, / We have no time to stand and stare?”
- “No time to see, when woods we pass, / Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass?” These questions don’t seek answers but emphasize the poet’s point about modern life’s neglect of nature. For “The Pilgrim,” you’d need to refer to its text to find similar rhetorical questions.
4. Say where the images from nature given in the poem exist. AIR / LAND / WATER
Answer:
(a) Beneath the boughs – LAND (under trees on the ground).
(b) Squirrels hide nuts in grass – LAND (on the grassy surface).
(c) Streams in daytime – WATER (in flowing streams).
(d) Stars / skies at night – AIR (in the sky, though reflected in water).
5. Make a paraphrase of the poem ‘Leisure’ in your own simple words. Write it down in your notebook.
Answer:
What kind of life is it if we’re always busy and stressed, with no time to stop and look around? We don’t pause under trees to gaze like sheep or cows do. We rush past forests and miss squirrels hiding nuts in the grass. We don’t notice how streams sparkle like starry skies in the daylight. We don’t stop to see nature’s beauty or watch how it moves so gracefully. We don’t wait to enjoy its charm, like a smile that starts in the eyes and spreads. Life feels empty and sad if we’re too caught up in worries to enjoy these simple, natural wonders.
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