Rain on the roof
Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow in one or two lines.
(I)
When the humid shadows hover
Over all the starry spheres
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a bliss to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed
And lie listening to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!
(a) What does the poet imply by “humid shadow?
Ans: By “humid shadows”, the poet implies the clouds full of rain.
(b) What does the phrase “starry spheres” refer to?
Ans:The phrase “starry spheres” refers to the sky filled with numerous stars shining at night.
(c) What does the poet consider to be a ‘bliss’ in the rainy season?
Ans: In the rainy season when the showers are falling on the roof, the poet considers it a bliss to lie comfortably in the bed pressing his head against the pillow.
(d) Which poetic device has been used in “lie listening”?
Ans: In “lie listening”, the poetic device used is alliteration as ‘I’ sound is repeated.
(e) Which poetic device has been used in the third and the fourth lines?
Ans:The third line employs ‘transferred epithet’ by the words “melancholy darkness”. Here darkness is not sad or melancholy but some man who is sad in the darkness.The fourth line uses ‘personification’ by presenting the sadness as weeping gently by shedding tears in the form of rain.
(II)
Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start,
And a thousand recollections
Weave their air-threads into woof,
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof.
(a) What finds an echo in the heart of the poet?
Ans:The tinkling sound of the rain drops falling on the roof overhead finds an echo in the heart of the poet.
(b) How does this sound of the rain affect the busy mind of the poet?
Ans:The sound of the rain triggers a large number of imaginative and fanciful ideas in the busy mind of the poet.
(c) Explain the metaphor used in And a thousand recollection/Weave their air-threads into woof.”
Ans:Here the recollections are compared to the weavers and the memories to a fabric. The entwined memories create a unique fabric of memories.
(d) Which poetic device has been used in the last line of the stanza?
Ans:The poetic device used in the last line is alliteration as ‘r’ sound is repeated in ‘Of the rain upon theroof’.
(III)
Now in memory comes my mother,
As she used in years agone,
To regard the darling dreamers
Ere she left them till the dawn:
0! I feel her fond look on me
As I list to this refrain
Which is played upon the shingles
By the patter of the rain.
(a) Who comes in the memory of the poet and when?
Ans:The poet’s mother comes in his memory as he sleeps in his bed chamber on a rainy night when rain lashes the tiles of the roof of his house.
(b) What does the poet remember about his mother?
Ans:The poet remembers the affectionate look of his mother as she was about to leave her children in their bed chamber for the night when she herself went to sleep in her own room.
(c) What does the poet imply by “the darling dreamers”?
Ans:By “the darling dreamers”, the poet implies the children in the family – the poet himself and his siblings – who were about to go to sleep. They would often have pleasant dreams in their sleep.
(d) What refrain is the poet talking about?
Ans:By ‘refrain’ the poet here means a song or recurring melody and in this stanza it refers to the musical sound of the rain.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
(to be answered in about 30 – 40 words each)
Q1. What do the following phrases mean?
Ans:
Humid shadows: ‘Humid shadows’ here refers to the clouds which are water-laden and shadow or cover the starry sky.
Starry spheres: ‘Starry spheres’ implies the night sky studded with stars.
What a bliss: ‘What a bliss’ is an exclamatory expression showing great pleasure.
A thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start: The clause implies that a large number of memories are revived in an otherwise much occupied mind.
A thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof : This clause is a metaphorical expression. Recollections are presented as weavers and the particular memories are the threads woven into the fabric of the mind.
Q2. Describe the weather just before the rain starts.
Ans:As described by the poet, the weather before the rain is humid. It is dark, and the starry-night sky is covered by thick clouds just before it begins to rain.
Q3. What does the poet want to do when it rains?
Ans:When it rains, the poet wants to lie snugly in his cosy cottage with a soft pillow under his head. He wants to enjoy the rhythmic, soft music of the rain drops falling on the roof.
Q4.According to the poet, what is nature’s mood in ‘rainy darkness’?
Ans: The poet shows the darkness to be in a melancholy or sad mood. This sadness is further heightened when the poet shows the darkness to be weeping and shedding tears in the form of rain drops.
Q5. How is the mood of the poet contrasted with the mood of darkness?
Ans:Whereas the darkness is in a sad and gloomy mood, the poet is in a happy mood as he considers it a bliss to lie comfortably in bed pressing the head against the pillow and listening to the music made by the showers of the rain.
Q6. Is the rain referred to in the poem a heavy downpour?
Ans: No, the rain referred to in the poem is not a heavy downpour. Instead, it is soft and gentle as is obvious from the pattering sound made by it while falling on the roof.
Q7. What is the impact of the tinkle of the rain drops on the poet’s heart?
Ans:The tinkle of the rain drops echo in the heart of the poet as if his heart beat responds to every sound of the rain by its rhythm. Moreover, the rain kindles many memories in the poet’s mind and he gets lost in dreamy imagination.
Q8. Which is the single major memory that comes to the poet?
Or
Which distinctive memory is revived in the poet’s mind?
Ans:The single major memory that comes distinctly to the poet is or his mother. The rain revives his thoughts of the time when his mother used to look lovingly at him and his siblings before she went to sleep in her bed chamber.
Q9. Who are the “darling dreamers” referred to by the poet?
Ans:The darling dreamers are the poet and his siblings. They were very dear to their mother and they are called ‘dreamers’ because they would often have sweet dreams in their sleep. Their mother must have always wished them “sweet dreams” before retiring to her room.
Q 10. Why does the poet call the sound of the rain as “refrain”?
Ans:A refrain is a line repeatedly used in a song or a poem. The drops of the rain produce a distinct and continuous music by way of their pattering. This repetitive sound of the rain is called ‘refrain’ by the poet.
Q11. Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?
Ans:The poet is no longer a child. He has grown up and his mother is no more alive. He thinks of his mother and his childhood with a feeling of nostalgia which makes it clear that his mother is no more.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
(to be answered in about 100 – 150 words each)
Q1. How does the poet react to the sound of the rain falling on the roof?
Or
What is the effect of the sound of the rain on the heart and mind of the poet?
Ans:The poet’s heart and mind react strongly to the sound of the rain falling on the roof. He is in a blissful mood as he enjoys the comfort of his bedroom, leisurely listening to the music of the rain. The music stirs a corresponding echo in the heart of the poet. His heart beat responds to the sound of the rain by its rhythmic throbbing. He gets engrossed in fanciful, dreamy thoughts. Moreover, the rain awakens many memories of the past. Particularly, it revives the memory of his mother as she looked at her children very affectionately before she went to sleep in her room. He recollects the fond, affectionate look of his mother which she cast on him. Thus, the poet’s mind and heart respond sensitively to the soft pattering sound of the rain falling on the roof.
Q2. The poet says:
“What a bliss to press the pillow Of a cottage-chamber bed”
Is rain ‘bliss’ for everybody? What do different people feel about the rain?
Or
Does everybody have a cosy bed? Look around and describe how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter etc. during rain?
Ans: In the poem “Rain on the Roof”, the poet Coates Kinney relates the various blissful emotions he has while he lies comfortably in his bed. For him, it is pure bliss to listen to the patter of the rain drops falling on the roof. But enjoying this bliss is not a privilege for everyone. There are many poverty-stricken people for whom rain brings a number of difficulties. Some of these people are without shelter, while some live in poor, thatched cottages with leaking roofs. When we look around, we find people reacting differently to the rain. Rich people sit comfortably in the verandas of their luxurious houses and enjoy delicious snacks while watching rain. Those who are burdened with a busy schedule, feel uncomfortable when they have to run around in the rain. Exposed to the rain, the poor homeless are forced to take cover lest they are drenched in rain.
Animals too are uncomfortable when the rain falls. The domestic animals may be protected but the stray ones have to seek shelter. Thus, rain is not a bliss for everybody.
Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow in one or two lines.
(I)
When the humid shadows hover
Over all the starry spheres
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a bliss to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed
And lie listening to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!
(a) What does the poet imply by “humid shadow?
Ans: By “humid shadows”, the poet implies the clouds full of rain.
(b) What does the phrase “starry spheres” refer to?
Ans:The phrase “starry spheres” refers to the sky filled with numerous stars shining at night.
(c) What does the poet consider to be a ‘bliss’ in the rainy season?
Ans: In the rainy season when the showers are falling on the roof, the poet considers it a bliss to lie comfortably in the bed pressing his head against the pillow.
(d) Which poetic device has been used in “lie listening”?
Ans: In “lie listening”, the poetic device used is alliteration as ‘I’ sound is repeated.
(e) Which poetic device has been used in the third and the fourth lines?
Ans:The third line employs ‘transferred epithet’ by the words “melancholy darkness”. Here darkness is not sad or melancholy but some man who is sad in the darkness.The fourth line uses ‘personification’ by presenting the sadness as weeping gently by shedding tears in the form of rain.
(II)
Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start,
And a thousand recollections
Weave their air-threads into woof,
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof.
(a) What finds an echo in the heart of the poet?
Ans:The tinkling sound of the rain drops falling on the roof overhead finds an echo in the heart of the poet.
(b) How does this sound of the rain affect the busy mind of the poet?
Ans:The sound of the rain triggers a large number of imaginative and fanciful ideas in the busy mind of the poet.
(c) Explain the metaphor used in And a thousand recollection/Weave their air-threads into woof.”
Ans:Here the recollections are compared to the weavers and the memories to a fabric. The entwined memories create a unique fabric of memories.
(d) Which poetic device has been used in the last line of the stanza?
Ans:The poetic device used in the last line is alliteration as ‘r’ sound is repeated in ‘Of the rain upon theroof’.
(III)
Now in memory comes my mother,
As she used in years agone,
To regard the darling dreamers
Ere she left them till the dawn:
0! I feel her fond look on me
As I list to this refrain
Which is played upon the shingles
By the patter of the rain.
(a) Who comes in the memory of the poet and when?
Ans:The poet’s mother comes in his memory as he sleeps in his bed chamber on a rainy night when rain lashes the tiles of the roof of his house.
(b) What does the poet remember about his mother?
Ans:The poet remembers the affectionate look of his mother as she was about to leave her children in their bed chamber for the night when she herself went to sleep in her own room.
(c) What does the poet imply by “the darling dreamers”?
Ans:By “the darling dreamers”, the poet implies the children in the family – the poet himself and his siblings – who were about to go to sleep. They would often have pleasant dreams in their sleep.
(d) What refrain is the poet talking about?
Ans:By ‘refrain’ the poet here means a song or recurring melody and in this stanza it refers to the musical sound of the rain.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
(to be answered in about 30 – 40 words each)
Q1. What do the following phrases mean?
Ans:
Humid shadows: ‘Humid shadows’ here refers to the clouds which are water-laden and shadow or cover the starry sky.
Starry spheres: ‘Starry spheres’ implies the night sky studded with stars.
What a bliss: ‘What a bliss’ is an exclamatory expression showing great pleasure.
A thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start: The clause implies that a large number of memories are revived in an otherwise much occupied mind.
A thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof : This clause is a metaphorical expression. Recollections are presented as weavers and the particular memories are the threads woven into the fabric of the mind.
Q2. Describe the weather just before the rain starts.
Ans:As described by the poet, the weather before the rain is humid. It is dark, and the starry-night sky is covered by thick clouds just before it begins to rain.
Q3. What does the poet want to do when it rains?
Ans:When it rains, the poet wants to lie snugly in his cosy cottage with a soft pillow under his head. He wants to enjoy the rhythmic, soft music of the rain drops falling on the roof.
Q4.According to the poet, what is nature’s mood in ‘rainy darkness’?
Ans: The poet shows the darkness to be in a melancholy or sad mood. This sadness is further heightened when the poet shows the darkness to be weeping and shedding tears in the form of rain drops.
Q5. How is the mood of the poet contrasted with the mood of darkness?
Ans:Whereas the darkness is in a sad and gloomy mood, the poet is in a happy mood as he considers it a bliss to lie comfortably in bed pressing the head against the pillow and listening to the music made by the showers of the rain.
Q6. Is the rain referred to in the poem a heavy downpour?
Ans: No, the rain referred to in the poem is not a heavy downpour. Instead, it is soft and gentle as is obvious from the pattering sound made by it while falling on the roof.
Q7. What is the impact of the tinkle of the rain drops on the poet’s heart?
Ans:The tinkle of the rain drops echo in the heart of the poet as if his heart beat responds to every sound of the rain by its rhythm. Moreover, the rain kindles many memories in the poet’s mind and he gets lost in dreamy imagination.
Q8. Which is the single major memory that comes to the poet?
Or
Which distinctive memory is revived in the poet’s mind?
Ans:The single major memory that comes distinctly to the poet is or his mother. The rain revives his thoughts of the time when his mother used to look lovingly at him and his siblings before she went to sleep in her bed chamber.
Q9. Who are the “darling dreamers” referred to by the poet?
Ans:The darling dreamers are the poet and his siblings. They were very dear to their mother and they are called ‘dreamers’ because they would often have sweet dreams in their sleep. Their mother must have always wished them “sweet dreams” before retiring to her room.
Q 10. Why does the poet call the sound of the rain as “refrain”?
Ans:A refrain is a line repeatedly used in a song or a poem. The drops of the rain produce a distinct and continuous music by way of their pattering. This repetitive sound of the rain is called ‘refrain’ by the poet.
Q11. Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?
Ans:The poet is no longer a child. He has grown up and his mother is no more alive. He thinks of his mother and his childhood with a feeling of nostalgia which makes it clear that his mother is no more.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
(to be answered in about 100 – 150 words each)
Q1. How does the poet react to the sound of the rain falling on the roof?
Or
What is the effect of the sound of the rain on the heart and mind of the poet?
Ans:The poet’s heart and mind react strongly to the sound of the rain falling on the roof. He is in a blissful mood as he enjoys the comfort of his bedroom, leisurely listening to the music of the rain. The music stirs a corresponding echo in the heart of the poet. His heart beat responds to the sound of the rain by its rhythmic throbbing. He gets engrossed in fanciful, dreamy thoughts. Moreover, the rain awakens many memories of the past. Particularly, it revives the memory of his mother as she looked at her children very affectionately before she went to sleep in her room. He recollects the fond, affectionate look of his mother which she cast on him. Thus, the poet’s mind and heart respond sensitively to the soft pattering sound of the rain falling on the roof.
Q2. The poet says:
“What a bliss to press the pillow Of a cottage-chamber bed”
Is rain ‘bliss’ for everybody? What do different people feel about the rain?
Or
Does everybody have a cosy bed? Look around and describe how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter etc. during rain?
Ans: In the poem “Rain on the Roof”, the poet Coates Kinney relates the various blissful emotions he has while he lies comfortably in his bed. For him, it is pure bliss to listen to the patter of the rain drops falling on the roof. But enjoying this bliss is not a privilege for everyone. There are many poverty-stricken people for whom rain brings a number of difficulties. Some of these people are without shelter, while some live in poor, thatched cottages with leaking roofs. When we look around, we find people reacting differently to the rain. Rich people sit comfortably in the verandas of their luxurious houses and enjoy delicious snacks while watching rain. Those who are burdened with a busy schedule, feel uncomfortable when they have to run around in the rain. Exposed to the rain, the poor homeless are forced to take cover lest they are drenched in rain.
Animals too are uncomfortable when the rain falls. The domestic animals may be protected but the stray ones have to seek shelter. Thus, rain is not a bliss for everybody.
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