Smartphone Prisoners
Leisure 2.0 - original by William Henry Davies
(Full disclosure: the first two and last two lines have been updated for our times)
What is this life if, we're always alone,
No time to stare away from the phone.
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, we're always alone,
No time to stare away from the phone.
Comments
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45521/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud
- Kieran
They also serve who only stand and wait (Reply to above comments)
I love Milton’s poem on blindness and duty to God
ChatGPT said:
John Milton’s Sonnet 19, “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent,” is a deeply personal and reflective poem about the poet’s struggle with blindness and his purpose in life.
Summary & Themes:
Loss of Sight: The phrase “how my light is spent” refers to Milton going blind (which he did later in life). He laments how he can no longer use his talents (especially writing) in the way he once did.
Fear of Wasted Talent: Milton worries that he cannot serve God because of his disability, referencing the biblical Parable of the Talents, which warns against hiding one's gifts.
Patience and Acceptance: In the second half of the poem, “Patience” personified comforts him, saying that God does not need man's work or gifts. Instead, those who "bear His mild yoke" (accept God’s will) best serve Him.
Famous Line: The closing line, “They also serve who only stand and wait,” expresses the idea that even those who cannot actively work or contribute in the usual way still serve a purpose in God's plan.
Overall Meaning:
The poem is about reconciling human limitations—especially disability—with spiritual duty. Milton ultimately finds peace in the idea that passive endurance and faith are also valuable forms of service to God.
- Kieran
And, of course, I’m now on my phone!!!! (A dear friend on WhatsApp)
Aye, ‘tis the work of the Holy Spirit - this is very clear