William Henry Davies or WH Davies (1871 - September 26, 1940), was a Welsh poet and writer. 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the country. ...

The People's Poet

He spent a significant part of his life as a tramp in the United States and United Kingdom, but became known as one of the most popular poets of his time. The theme of his works mainly relate to the marvels of nature, observations about life's hardships, his tramping adventures and characters he met. For other uses, see Tramp (disambiguation). ...

Early Life in Monmouthshire

He was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, in south east Wales, where his father died when he was just two years old. His mother then abandoned him and his siblings when she remarried, leaving them to be brought up by their paternal grandparents. He was related to the famous British actor Sir Henry Irving (referred to as cousin Brodribb by the family). This article is about the Welsh city of Newport. ... This article is about the country. ... Henry Irving, as Hamlet, in a 1893 illustration from The Idler magazine John Henry Brodribb Irving (February 6, 1838–October 13, 1905), better known as Sir Henry Irving, was one of the most famous stage actors of all time. ...

Delinquent to Supertramp

He was a difficult and somewhat delinquent young man, and after failing to settle as an apprentice, took casual work and travelled. The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp (1908) covers his life until that point in time including many adventures and characters in the USA 1893 - '99, where he lived as a tramp. If youre looking for the TV show, see The Apprentice. ... An interesting insight into the life of an intelligent man who decided to live a simple life. ... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

This work drew the attention of George Bernard Shaw and is prefaced by him; the popular 1970's group 'Supertramp' takes its name from this composition. He lost a leg while jumping a train in Canada, and wore a wooden leg thereafter. George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856–2 November 1950) was an Irish dramatist, literary critic, and socialist. ... This article is about the band. ...

Published Poet

He returned to England, living a rough life in London in particular. His first book of poetry, in 1905, was the beginning of success and a growing reputation; he drew extensively on his experiences with the seamier side for material. By the time of his prominent place in the Edward Marsh Georgian poetry series, he was an established figure. He is generally best known for two lines from his poem, Leisure: For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Edward Marsh (1872-1953) was an English polymath, the sponsor of the Georgian school of poets and a friend to many individuals, including Rupert Brooke and Siegfried Sassoon. ... Georgian Poetry was the title of a series of anthologies showcasing the work of a school of English poetry that established itself during the early years of the reign of King George V of the United Kingdom. ... Leisure is a poem by Welsh poet 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 and cows: No time to see, when woods we pass, Where...

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Personal Life

He married in 1923 Helen Payne, his junior by three decades; his frank and often disturbing account of his life before and after meeting her by chance in the Edgware Road near Marble Arch was only published in 1980 after her death in 1979. They lived quietly and happily in Sussex and Gloucestershire. Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Edgware Road is a road in London. ... Marble Arch was originally erected on The Mall, as a gateway to the newly rebuilt Buckingham Palace. ... This article refers to the historic county in England. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ...

A statue of WH Davies is located in Commercial Street, Newport. For other uses, see Newport (disambiguation). ...

Works

• The Soul's Destroyer (1905) poems
• The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp (1908)
• Beggars (1909)
• New Poems (1907),
• Nature Poems (1908),
• Farewell to Poesy (1910),
• Songs of Joy (1911),
• Foliage (1913)
• The Bird of Paradise (1914)
• Raptures (1918) poems
• Shorter Lyrics 1900-1922 (1922, Bodley Head anthology) (editor)
• Secrets (1924) poems
• Later Days (1925)
• The Collected Poems of W. H. Davies (1928)
• The Loneliest Mountain (1939) poems
• Complete Poems (1963)
• Young Emma (1980) autobiography

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

W. H. Davies

• Works by W. H. Davies at Project Gutenberg
• BBC South East Wales Arts report
• "Gathering the Jewels" series, National Library of Wales
• Article in the Literary Encyclopedia