3. Introduction

"The Lake of Innisfree" is a 12-line poem written in a traditional rhyme. Written in \(1888\), it was first published in the National Observer in \(1890\) and later reprinted in The Countess Kathleen and Various Legends and Lyrics in \(1892\).

The poem deals with Yeats's experiences growing up in a city while having also spent time in the countryside. Yeats draws the inspiration for the setting from the real isle of Innisfree found in County Sligo in Ireland.

"The  Lake of Innisfree" is among Yeats's most cited or anthologised poems. Moreover, the poem is often associated with the Irish identity, and as a result, excerpts from the poem are included in Irish passports.