The Lake Isle of Innisfree

 Thinking about the Poem

I. 1. What kind of place is Innisfree? 

Innisfree is a beautiful place where poet has spent a lot of time as a boy.

Think about:

(i) the three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there (stanza I);

(i) The three things the poet wants to do when he goes back to Innisfree are:

– he wants to build a small cabin of clay and wattles.

– he wants to have nine bean-rows there

– he wants to have a hive for the honeybee

(ii) what he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II);

(ii) The cricket's song, midnight's beauty, purple noon sky, and evening's linnet wings bring him peace and joy.

(iii) what he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza III).

(iii) He hears the lake water lapping by the shore at low sounds in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree.

2. By now you may have concluded that Innisfree is a simple, natural place, full of beauty and peace. How does the poet contrast it with where he now stands? (Read stanza III.)

The poet compares Innisfree's natural beauty to the dull, grey city pavements, highlighting the city's lack of vibrancy and color.

3. Do you think Innisfree is only a place, or a state of mind? Does the poet actually miss the place of his boyhood days?

Yes, Innisfree is a real place the poet yearns for. He fondly recalls its serene beauty, the lake's gentle sounds, and the inner peace it once provided.

II. 1. Look at the words the poet uses to describe what he sees and hears at Innisfree

(i) bee-loud glade

bee-loud glade creates a picture of a place in a forest that is filled with the soft buzzing sound of honeybees.

(ii) evenings full of the linnet’s wings

 evenings full of the linnet’s wings creates an image of a red-orange sky that is full of linnets. Linnets are beautiful birds that add up to the scenic beauty of a place when they flutter their wings and fly.

(iii) lake water lapping with low sounds

lake water lapping with low sounds lets us take a dive into the peaceful scenario where the water of the lake is flowing and producing soothing sound

What pictures do these words create in your mind?

The waves strike the lake’s shore to create a pleasing and soothing sound.

2. Look at these words;

… peace comes dropping slow

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings

What do these words mean to you? What do you think “comes dropping slow…from the veils of the morning”? What does “to where the cricket sings” mean?

The poet tells us that peace comes slowly like the morning light. It spreads from the sky to the earth, where the cricket sings, making everything calm and quiet.