The Lake Isle of Innisfree

by William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
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.

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.

* * *

This poem always makes me draw in a long, slow breath, let it out again, and go about my day a little more peaceful than I was before. I think having a dream like this is very healthy, because even if you can't get up and go when you'd like to, there's something about carrying the sound of lake water with you in the heart's core -- even while walking along a busy roadway. It's carrying a little peace with you wherever you go.

On a different note, this blog recently got its first 10,000 hits. When I started out about two years ago, I hoped Enchiridion would be a way to add a little poetry to people's lives and maybe have some nice discussions about poems. Looking back, I think it really turned out that way, and I'm very glad I decided to start it. Of course, I'm not the one making the hits and comments happen -- you are, for visiting my blog and sharing your thoughts in my comment box. Thanks everyone, and a happy Easter season to all of you.