Couplet 1:
The poet begins by questioning the purpose of a life which is so full of worry that it does not allow us any time to simply stand still and watch the world go by. In the next few couplets, he describes the various things that people are not able to do due to lack of leisure.

Couplet 2:
Sheep and cows can often be seen standing still in vast open fields and staring into a distance. People living a busy life would not posses the leisure to stand under the branches of trees and keep staring into space.

Couplet 3:
W. H. Davies further adds that when such people pass a forest or a woodland, they would be in too much of a hurry to notice the nooks and crannies in the grass where squirrels conceal their nuts. They would not possess the leisure to notice the various aspects of the natural world around them.
 

Couplet 4:
In daylight, streams appear to be sparkling under the effect of sunshine making it seem as if the streams are full of stars like the night sky. However, such beauties of nature are likely to be missed by people overburdened by anxiety and living a life of haste without any leisure.
 

Couplets 5 and 6:
The poet states that the rush of life provides people with no leisure to turn at the glance of a beautiful girl and marvel at her dancing feet.They are unable to leisurely observe her as her mouth shapes out a smile that started from her eyes.
 

Couplet 7:

In the final couplet, it states that a life which is so bogged down by worry that it allows one no time for leisure is indeed a miserable life. It means that we have a poor life if we have no time to relax physically or mentally.