If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
I had still the ambition, formed in Sligo in my teens, of living in imitation of Thoreau on Innisfree, a little island in Lough Gill, and when walking through Fleet Street very homesick I heard a little tinkle of water and saw a fountain in a shop window which balanced a little ball upon its jet, and began to remember lake water. From the sudden remembrance came my poem Innisfree.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the deep connection between memory, nature, and artistic inspiration.
In this quote, Yeats captures a poignant moment when a simple sight—a fountain—evokes a powerful memory of nature, leading to the creation of his poem 'Innisfree'. It highlights how personal experiences and nostalgia can fuel artistic expression, reminding us of the beauty and peace found in the natural world.
Themes
NatureInspirationMemoryArtNostalgia
In practice
Example use cases
During a poetry reading, you could introduce Yeats' quote to discuss how nature influences creativity.
More from William Butler Yeats
All quotes →It was my first meeting with a philosophy that confirmed my vague speculations and seemed at once logical and boundless.
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But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
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How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
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For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
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Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
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