This poem is for Foxglove Lane on her Desert Island (Foxglove Lane has to be my favourite blog title and it's a wonderful place to visit too which lives up to its name).
I have posted this one before as the poem is one of my much-loved, in fact I chose it as my all time favourite many, many moons ago when I worked in a different library and we each had to choose one for National Poetry Day.
The story goes that while walking down Fleet Street in London one day, Yeats was trying to cross a road, wishing for seclusion and this poem was the result.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.
W B Yeats
6 comments:
This is one of my very favourites. I'd never heard where or why he wrote it. Makes perfect sense to me.
I'm so enjoying what you're doing here. I don't recall ever reading this poem before, though it pains me to say it. Simply wonderful. I feel like packing my bags now.
Thank you for joining Poets United. I have added your blog to our blogroll so others can discover you and your wonderful poetry. Poets United is what you make of it so explore, comment often and it will lead to folks doing so in return. We look forward to visiting your blog and reading your poetry.
Ink runs from the corners of my mouth
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry.
~Mark Strand
I so love this poem, too. A few months ago, I posted a humorous thought of Gladys Taber's regarding this poem:
http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-with-gladys-and-rachel.html
I just found that you had dedicated this to me and I am so honoured. Thank you so much! I love your blog, and I just drifted in there and found out. What a lovely surpirse. I wonder have you come across David Whyte and the way he uses poetry to connect with modern life? Reminds me of you. Again thank you X Ca
Cait, I wonder are you on twitter? You are causing a little stir there tonight, people are enjoying your post, and talking about the poem. Let me know if you are and I will tweet you:~)
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