Originally Posted by
kathyr
Less than a week ago, my stepfather died. During the last week of his life he requested different poets for me to bring to the hospital. One was Yeats. He asked me to read this poem. However, as I began, so did he, to recite it, by heart. At this moment, I was still believing the doctors, which meant believing my wonderful stepdad would live. But my stepfather was also a physician and I believe he knew he was dying. That's why he requested this beautiful poem, Lake Isle of Innisfree. My step father's family was from Ireland. Like Yeats, he and his family were Protestant, but rejected what that stood for, and supported the cause for Irish independence. He will be greatly missed, but he left behind one more lesson for me--a chance to learn about this great poet and the others he requested during his last days with us.