W.B Yeats has used many visual and sound images in the poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” to express his heart-felt desire to stay close to nature. Pick out those images from the poem and explain them.

The poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” is a collage of visual and sound images which are expressive of the poet W.B. Yeats’ yearning to stay close to nature. ‘Small cabin….of clay and wattles’ ‘nine bean-rows’, ‘honey-bee’, ‘bee-loud glade’, ‘midnight’s all a glimmer’, ‘moon a purple glow’, and ‘lake water lapping’ are the prominent visual images in the poem. These visually appealing images are used to reflect the peaceful, soothing natural ambience of the place of Innisfree. The palette of sound images includes ‘linnet’s wings’, ‘cricket sings’ and ‘lake water lapping with low sounds’. These sound images are carefully chosen to reflect the musical ambience of Innisfree.   

Why is the place of Innisfree special or close to the poet W.B. Yeats’ heart in the poem?

The place of Innisfree is close to W.B. Yeats’ heart for several reasons – natural beauty, pleasant environment, soothing ambience and peaceful surrounding. Innisfree is amidst natural artifices. The place appeals to the poet’s heart since it is very close to nature. Days and nights are cozy there. The place is abuzz with the music of crickets and linnets. Silence and peacefulness are nearly synonymous. A place that is free of noise is supposed to be peaceful. However, the silent and placid ambience of Innisfree is eloquent with the music of linnets and crickets. Such music is pleasant to the poet in the place far from the madding crowd.