PoemoftheWeek

I think that is the beauty of poetry - or literary works for that matter - that we all read the same text but interpret them differently and each of these interpretations can be as valid as the other as long as they get enough support from the text. The interpretations of a work is not only what the writer means but also the reader's contribution to that work, drawing from their own experiences and personalities at times; and I believe that the richness of intrepretations is an indicator of author's/poet's success... that they are able to address so many people.

On the subject of Maud Gonne. Another of my favourite Yeats poems is, 'No Second Troy', where he compares her courage with his own reluctance to take a physically active role in the rebellion. My favourite line is, "Had they but courage equal to desire?", which sums up the image of his reluctance feeling perfectly.

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Originally Posted by Jay

I don't think him being very detailed in describing Innisfree means he's ever been there. It could have been any other island. How are you, from that description, to figure out he was talking about Innisfree if he didn't 'hint' that in the title and mention its name in the poem?

I think the poem might be about a dying man. He might be dying for real or from within, I don't think it's of much importance which. His Innisfree might be his picture of heaven. It's peaceful and calm and he seems to be trying to get there for some time and for a reason he can't get there, be it it's too far away (if we're thinking about the actual Innisfree), or out of reach if it's only a dream, an image (a symbol of peace, heaven, whichever you prefer), as if he's dying he won't get there no matter what the location of the island is (that is if you don't believe in an afterlife).

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You are right. It must have been the late hours speaking. But, take a look at
what he wrote about Innisfree, literally. Yeats being from Ireland; there is an island off Ireland named Innisfree; He names it DIRECTLY as Innisfree in the poem; and so I'm just assuming that he is talking about that specific island. Or am I totally off-base?

As for the poems meaning, there is no reference to dying in the poem. No mention or allusion to Heaven or the afterlife. Innisfree is a place just as he describes. A place where he can go to find peace. Its not that he can't get to Innisfree. In the opening phrase of each stanza I will, I shall(can), I will, each is followed by a description of Innisfree. It is as if when he says these commands--he is there at Innisfree describing it.

He is there, He has been there, thats why he can describe it so well. There is a tone of command and not delay or inability. A tone that would contrast well
against this poem is T.S. Elliots The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock, where he constantly states there will be time, there will be time. Thats a tone of delay or procrastination or never able to 'get' to a destination.

Holla back!

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Originally Posted by Xamonas Chegwe

Yes, it is Irish gaelic - I looked it up in an online Irish dictionary - can't remember which - I went through the google directory / reference / dictionaries / world languages. There are dictionaries for everything from Albanian to Zulu in there, arranged alphabetically - very useful favourite to have in my opinion.

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Thanks, but I don't know what to make of that. How does it fit?

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Yeats is referring to traditional, pre-industrial methods of making houses in Ireland. 'Wattle & Daub' is how it's usually termed in English. And, lacking bricks, concrete & an abundance of timber, it's an extremely practical, strong and long-lasting way of constructing houses. See here

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That was very interesting. I didn't realize that. It's still not practical, though. I mean not practical in the sense that you're just going to get up and go and build this house on impulse: "I will arise and go now". Hmm. Actually it does add a layer of nastalgia, perhaps. This old Irish custom. Perhaps recalls a mythic age, something Yeats was interested in. Double hmm.

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Originally Posted by ktd222

You are right. It must have been the late hours speaking. But, take a look at
what he wrote about Innisfree, literally. Yeats being from Ireland; there is an island off Ireland named Innisfree; He names it DIRECTLY as Innisfree in the poem; and so I'm just assuming that he is talking about that specific island. Or am I totally off-base?

He is there, He has been there, thats why he can describe it so well. There is a tone of command and not delay or inability. A tone that would contrast well
against this poem is T.S. Elliots The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock, where he constantly states there will be time, there will be time. Thats a tone of delay or procrastination or never able to 'get' to a destination.

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I don't think you're off base. How we read the tone is critical. I still don't feel it as a tone of command, as you say. I still feel it's a longing rather than determined.

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Originally Posted by ktd222

visualize the line above as solid mass, and visualize him straddling with one
leg on the phrase While I stand on the roadway, and the other leg on
the phrase or on the pavements gray. So his body points upward towards the rest of the poem which just happens to all be description of Innisfree.

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That is a really interesting observation.

Virgil--
Could you please explain to me how a tone of longing would read like?
Use the phrases of I will and I shall.
To me it is under his command because the word 'will' is defined as to order
or direct by his own will or to determine by an act of choice(merriam webster dictionary). In this case, then, yeats is exercising his command or will over when he will go to Innisfree.
But I do see your point that the poems about longing as well. Anyways maybe I just like too much to discuss the points of views.

This is really cool that we can discuss poetry in a forum.
Should I post the next poem?

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Originally Posted by ktd222

But, take a look at
what he wrote about Innisfree, literally. Yeats being from Ireland; there is an island off Ireland named Innisfree; He names it DIRECTLY as Innisfree in the poem; and so I'm just assuming that he is talking about that specific island. Or am I totally off-base?

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No, you're not, I was just more seeing the poem as it is, from an annonymous person's POV, not Yeats' (therefore dismissing the idea of Yeats being Irish, probably having visited Innisfree).

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Originally Posted by ktd222

there is an island off Ireland named Innisfree; He names it DIRECTLY as Innisfree in the poem; and so I'm just assuming that he is talking about that specific island. Or am I totally off-base?

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The Innisfree in the poem is not off the coast of Ireland but within a lake in county Sligo. See Riesa's post on the previous page. Innisfree is a common name for an island in Ireland, there are several dotted about. At least one in Canada too.

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Originally Posted by ktd222

Virgil--
Could you please explain to me how a tone of longing would read like?
Use the phrases of I will and I shall.
To me it is under his command because the word 'will' is defined as to order
or direct by his own will or to determine by an act of choice(merriam webster dictionary). In this case, then, yeats is exercising his command or will over when he will go to Innisfree.
But I do see your point that the poems about longing as well. Anyways maybe I just like too much to discuss the points of views.

This is really cool that we can discuss poetry in a forum.
Should I post the next poem?

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ktd - I'll try later tonight. I'll have to think about that for a little while.

For everyone's information, I looked up the poem in my Norton's Anthology of English Lit, checking to see if there were any annotations. There were two:
Innisfree - Island in Lough Gill, County Sligo. "My father had read to me some passage out of [Thoreau's] Walden, and I planned to live there some day in a cottage on a island called Innisfree"
wattles - Stakes interwoven with twigs or branches.

Perhaps it really was procrastination, because as far as I know, he never built that cottage.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

Perhaps it really was procrastination, because as far as I know, he never built that cottage.

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:lol: :lol: :lol:

Nice point Virgil.

Lets say I believe you all, then, you all need to give me some evidence and explanation to why you believe the poem means what you all think?
How do you know that as your reading the poem, the image of him going there and describing Innisfree isn't happening? For me the will, shall is present tense.

Use exerpts out of the poem ;) if you want to. Change my mind for me Jay? Virgil? anyone.

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Originally Posted by ktd222

Virgil--
Could you please explain to me how a tone of longing would read like?
Use the phrases of I will and I shall.
To me it is under his command because the word 'will' is defined as to order
or direct by his own will or to determine by an act of choice(merriam webster dictionary). In this case, then, yeats is exercising his command or will over when he will go to Innisfree.
But I do see your point that the poems about longing as well. Anyways maybe I just like too much to discuss the points of views.

This is really cool that we can discuss poetry in a forum.
Should I post the next poem?

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I'll try, but I'm not sure I can put it into words. If a person says I will do that, it is possible by the tone of how he says it to detect a lack of committment. I've done it myself, hearing my own words at work for instance saying I would do something but at the same time realizing the difficulty of doing it and that I probably wouldn't do it. On a page it's harder to really get that across. But I sense it, others do to, I think. The poem is completely static. He doesn't even put it in the present tense; "I will, I shall" are future tense. And everything else is nastalgic reminiscing.

Let's hold off on the next poem for another few days. Perhaps some might still want to add to this discussion.

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Originally Posted by Jay

No, you're not, I was just more seeing the poem as it is, from an annonymous person's POV, not Yeats' (therefore dismissing the idea of Yeats being Irish, probably having visited Innisfree).

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You are not, because then you wouldn't have reference ideas about a dying man or heaven because there is no mention of those ideas.
If you think you are, use the poem as evidence and tell me why.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

I'll try, but I'm not sure I can put it into words. If a person says I will do that, it is possible by the tone of how he says it to detect a lack of committment. I've done it myself, hearing my own words at work for instance saying I would do something but at the same time realizing the difficulty of doing it and that I probably wouldn't do it. On a page it's harder to really get that across. But I sense it, others do to, I think. The poem is completely static. He doesn't even put it in the present tense; "I will, I shall" are future tense. And everything else is nastalgic reminiscing.

Let's hold off on the next poem for another few days. Perhaps some might still want to add to this discussion.

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He tells you he will go, and specifies by saying now. The tone of command comes back to me, again.