Student Question
What does "dropping veils of morning to where the cricket sings" mean in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"?
Quick answer:
"Dropping veils of morning to where the cricket sings" in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" refers to the peaceful atmosphere created by morning fog. This fog, described as a "veil," blankets the environment, symbolizing tranquility that settles into nature, particularly around the roots of tall grasses where crickets are found. The imagery emphasizes the narrator's sense of calm derived from nature.
To grasp the full comparison, you have to back up a line:
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings.
So peace drops from the veils of morning. What is that, exactly?
Often in wet climates (as you would find around a lake island), the mornings are blanketed in a thick, heavy fog. This "veil of morning" could represent this type of thick covering, which covers the world in a peaceful blanket of white. Peace comes dropping from this fog, as it has the power to quiet both the environment and the spirit while it persists.
Where does the peace drop to? It goes "where the cricket sings." And where is that, exactly? Most often, crickets can be found at the roots of tall grasses and under leaves.
All this means that the narrator finds a calming, peaceful presence from being in nature, especially the peaceful mornings of his lake island of Innisfree. Although not Innisfree, the photo here shows a similar, peaceful fog settling over an island.
Nature is dripping in peace, and this is captured well by the imagery and metaphors of these lines.
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