What is the meaning of the poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"?

This poem is about a man, overwhelmed with urban life, who dreams of going back to nature in order to find some peace.  The man will build a small cabin there (line 2) and grow some beans (line 4).  He shall live alone (line 6) and "shall have some peace there" (line 7).  The sounds and sights of nature (second stanza) will be a comfort to him in comparison to the harsh pavement of the city (third stanza).

This poem was written at the end of the 19th century, when cities were growing quickly and nature was being abandoned for progress.  The poem emphasizes the ability of nature to restore the human spirit.  The poet has not literally gone to Innisfree, however.  In the end, although he hears the "water lapping with low sounds by the/shore", he is actually standing "on the roadway."  The contrast always readers to better understand the importance of nature, because the speaker is imagining it with rich detail even though he is far away from it.