SWEET STAY-AT-HOME

Sweet Stay-at-Home, sweet Well-content,

Thou knowest of no strange continent:

Thou Hast not felt thy bosom keep

A gentle motion with the deep;

Thou hast not sailed in Indian seas,

Where scent comes forth in every breeze.

Thou hast not seen the rich grape grow

For miles, as far as eyes can go;

Thou hast not seen plains full bloom

Where green things had such little room

They pleased the eye like fairer flowers -

Sweet Stay-at-Home, all these long hours.

W. H. DAVIES

Summary: 'Sweet Stay-at-Home' is a poem by W. H. Davies that celebrates the comfort and contentment of staying at home. In the poem, the Speaker addresses the idea of staying close to home and not venturing into the unknown.

The poem begins by praising the virtues of staying at home, describing it as 'sweet' and 'well-content.' The speaker suggest that those who stay at home are not familiar with the experiences of travelling to distant and unfamiliar lands. They have not felt the excitement of their hearts beating in rhythm with the motion of the sea, nor have they sailed in the exotic Indian seas, where fragrant scents fill the air with every breeze.

The speaker continues to highlight the wonders of foreign lands, mentioning the abundance of grapes that stretch for miles and the lush, blooming plains that please the eye like beautiful flowers. Despite these alluring descriptions of far-off places, the speaker ultimately emphasizes the contentment and fulfillment that can be found in the simple pleasures of staying at home. 

In essence, 'Sweet Stay-at-Home' extols the idea that there is beauty and contentment in appreciating the familiar and finding joy in the everyday comforts of home, rather than constantly seeking adventure and novelty in distant lands. It encourages a sense of gratitude for the comforts and simplicity of one's own surroundings.