9th Std SONG OF THE RAIN

SONG OF THE RAIN Q/As

Read the following extracts and answer the
questions:

1. I am beautiful pearls
plucked from the crown of Ishter
by the daughter of Dawn
to embellish the gardens

(a) Who does ‘I’ refer to in these lines ?

Ans. ‘I’ is referred to the rain.

(b) What does ‘I’ compare itself to ?

Ans. I (the rain) compares itself to the beautiful pearls
plucked from the crown of Ishter (goddess of fertility)

(a) What is meant by the phrase ‘to embellish the
garden’ ?

Ans. It means to decorate the garden.

2. The field and the cloud are lovers
and between them I am
a messenger of mercy
I quench the thirst of the one
I cure the ailment of the other
(a) Why are the field and the cloud called lovers ?

Ans. The are called lovers as they are far away from
each other and desperately want to meet.

(b) How does the rain help the field and the
cloud ?

Ans. The rain helps them by acting as a messenger of
mercy. It quenches the thirst of one and cures the ailment
of the other.

(c) In these lines ‘messenger of mercy’ refers to
whom ?

Ans. It refers to ‘the rain’.

3. The voice of thunder
declares my arrival;
The rainbow announces my departure
I am like earthly life
which begins at
The feet of the mad elements and ends
under the upraised wings of death.

(a) What declares the arrival of the rain ?

Ans. The thunder announces the arrival of rain.

(b) How is the departure of the rain announced ?

Ans. The departure of the rain is announced by the
rainbow.

(c) How does the poet compare the rain to the
earthly life ?

Ans. Just like everything on the earth takes birth and
dies, so does the rain. It has a beginning and comes to an
end.

4. I touch gently at the windows with my

Soft fingers, and my announcement is a

Welcome song. All can hear, but only

The sensitive can understand.

(a) How is the arrival of rain announced?

The arrival of the rain is announced by a welcome song.

(b) Why is it welcomed?

It is welcomed because it is needed by all – men, animals, plants.

(c) What is the difference between hearing and understanding?

Hearing means hearing casually, whereas understanding implies hearing

something with understanding its meaning as well.

(d) Explain the line ‘All can hear hut only the sensitive can understand’.

The welcome song of the rain is heard by all. But only those who are sensitive

and can feel can understand its meaning and enjoy it.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What are the various comparisons that have
been made for rain? Discuss

Ans. The comparison made for rain are — dotted
silver threads — beautiful pearls — earthly life — sigh of
the sea — laughter of the field, the tears of heaven.

2. Discuss the theme of the poem ‘Song of the Rain’.

Ans. It is a song of the rain. The poet has described in
various beautiful ways calling it silver threads, messenger
of mercy, beautiful pearl drops, sigh of the sea, laughter of
the fields. The voice of thunder announces its arrival and
the rainbow announces its departure. It satisfies the thirst
of the field, it decorates the gardens. It makes the hills
happy. It is a divine gift of God.

3. Describe the cyclic nature of rain as described
by the poet. How does it differ from its scientific
version?

Ans. The poet describes the cyclic nature of rain
through — ‘Sigh of the sea’ refers to the process of
evaporation of sea water-forming clouds, ‘a tears of rain’
refers to falling of raindrops from the sky, Thunder is the
cry of the sky. The poet endows the rain with divine
attributes, earthly beauty, human emotions. The scientific
version is simply of evaporation, condensation and
precipitation.

4. Explain, “when I cry, the hills laugh, when I humble myself, the flowers rejoice.”

Rain’s cry refers to downpour. When it rains on the parched hills, they laugh

with joy at the arrival of a long awaited rain and flowers too rejoice, for they too

can bloom and make the nature beautiful once again.

5. How is rain the messenger of mercy? Whom does rain take the messages to?

Rain is a messenger of mercy between the field and the clouds. It is a

messenger of mercy rather than of love because rain is nature’s merciful

blessing for the earth.

6. How is rain the sigh of the sea?

Rain is the sigh of the sea because the sea heaves a sigh of pain at the

departure of a part of it but at the same time another sigh of relief with the

thought that it would return in the form of a rain.

Answer the following question in 80-100 words:

(a) ‘Song of the Rain’ is an autobiography of rain. Discuss.

‘Song of the Rain’ is an autobiography of rain. Rain is the speaker throughout

the poem. It describes its journey in the poem. It describes its birth, its

descending upon earth and departure; much like the cycle of birth and death of

living things. Rain says that it rises from the heart of the sea and reaches the

sky as clouds. The clouds are overloaded with water till it becomes unbearable.

Rain helps them in floating light and fresh again. Rain falls on the flowers,

fields, trees and rejuvenates their souls. It gives them a fresh life. Nature looks

beautiful due to rain. Its arrival is welcomed with a happy heart by everyone.

The thunder announces its arrival while the rainbow signals its departure. Rain

wants to tell its readers that it is SONG OF THE RAIN.It is a boon to the mankind.