Rain on the Roof

Summary

1st stanza

In this stanza, the poet describes a rainy night. He says that all the stars of the sky have become invisible because they have been covered by clouds. Darkness usually has a negative connotation, and the poet makes no exception to this rule. He says that the darkness is making him sad and reflective, and the rain also seems to mirror his emotions as it looks like tears falling softly from human eyes. At this point, the only thing that can bring joy to the poet is to curl up with a pillow in the bed of a country cottage and listen to the sound of raindrops falling overhead

2nd Stanza:

In this stanza, the poet describes how the raindrops make the loudest sound as they fall on the shingles of the roof. Each sound that is made by the rain in this way is repeated the next instant by the beating of his heart. He begins to dream about many things. As he is listening to the soft and continuous falling of the raindrops on his roof, all his memories come back to him, but they are not discrete and separated from each other. Instead all of his memories seem to have formed a patchwork by becoming entwined with one another.

3rd Stanza

In this stanza, the poet remembers how many years ago, in his childhood, his mother used to look down at him and his siblings as they were sleeping and having pleasant dreams. His mother would make a point to look at them every night, for she knew she would not see them again till the next morning. What the poet remembers more than anything is how his mother would bend down and watch over him in particular. These memories are evoked as he listens to the repetitive rhythm of the raindrops as they are falling on the roof.

Comprehension Questions

1. What does the poet do when it rains?
The poet lies in bed snuggly against the pillow in a cottage and listens to the patter of the rain overhead.

2. How does the poet describe the sky before the rain falls ?
There were dark clouds hovering around in the sky. They hid the stars with darkness all around. The poet compares the darkness with sadness, as these humid shadows gently weep which pours down rainy tears.

3. What effect does every tinkle of the raindrops have on the poet?
The tinkle of every raindrop on the shingles has an echo in the poet’s heart. This evokes thousands of dreams .While he focuses on the listening to the pitter- patter on the roof, his mind starts weaving recollections of fond memories of yesteryears.

4. What is the general atmosphere created in the poem?
The general atmosphere of the poem is very sombre. There is darkness around but rain and his snug bed in a cottage compensates it with the spirit of peace and contentment .The poet begins to dream and recollect memories when his head presses against his pillow to conclude the long day into a goodnight’s rest. In the poem, past is being spoken about but not in terms of regret or sadness. Rain lulls the poet into dreams which bring back the memory of his family and the loved ones.

5. Do you think that the poem, ‘Rain on the Roof’, is lauding the healing power of nature’s rain?
The poet appreciates rain, especially when he hears the sound of the falling rain from a cozy bed in a lovely cottage. This rain and its sound have led to the beginning of many fancies and memories. It has resurrected the fondest memory of the poet’s mother in his mind.

Answers to Text book questions

1. What do the following phrases mean to you?
(i) “Humid shadows” refer to the dark clouds that produce rain.
(ii) “Starry spheres” refer to the night sky abounding in stars.
(iii) “What a bliss” refers to the happiness of the poet. When it rains, the poet gets into his Snug bed in the cottage and enjoys the patter of rain upon the roof.
(iv) "A thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start" refers to the various imaginary thoughts and fantasies that are aroused in the poet’s mind.
(v) "A thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof" phrase means that numerous memories intermingle to form a beautiful picture that the poet recollects.

2. What does the poet like to do when it rains?
When it rains, the poet feels delighted to lie with his head pressed against the pillow of his cottage chamber bed and listen to the patter of the soft rain.

3. What is the single major memory that comes to the poet? Who are the “darling dreamers” he refers to?
The single major memory that comes to the poet is that of his mother and her fond look. The “darling dreamers” are the poet and his siblings in their childhood when they were lovingly put to bed by their mother.

4. Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?
No, the poet is not a child now.He is a grown up man. His mother is probably not alive. He remembers her when he is inside his cosy cottage and enjoying the patter of rain on the roof.

5. Does everybody have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains? Look around you and
describe how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter etc. during rain.
Everybody is not fortunate enough to have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains. Not everybody gets to enjoy the comfort of cosy homes during rain. I have seen animals seeking shelter under trees and under the tin roofs of the small roadside tea stalls. The people passing by shoo away these animals and try to shrink themselves under the limited space of these shops. The poor animals are left shivering and drenching on the roads. The shopkeepers of such stalls are delighted as the people waiting for the rain to subside often end up buying tea and snacks.

WORKSHEET

Q1. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
(a) O! 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.

i. Who is being referred to as ‘her’?
The poet’s mother is being referred to as ‘her’.

ii. What does the poet recollect about the person?
The poet recollects how his mother used to regard the poet and his siblings when she tucked them in bed at night. She used to give a fond look to the poet.

iii. What refrain does the poet listen to?
The poet listens to the tinkling sound of every raindrop as it falls on the shingles on the roof.

iv. Give the antonym of the word – ‘fond’.
uncaring

(b) Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start

i. What produces the tinkle on the shingles?
The sound of the rain falling on the shingles on the roof of the cottage produces the tinkling sound.

ii. What effect does every tinkle have on the poet’s heart?
Each sound that is made by the rain is repeated the next instant by the beating of his heart.

iii. What does the tinkle on the shingles start?
The tinkle on the shingles causes the poet to start imagining and dreaming about things.

iv. Find the synonym of the word ‘resonance’
echo

(c) When the humid shadows hover.
Over all starry spheres
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,

i. What are the humid shadows?
Humid shadows refer to the dark clouds that produce rain.

ii. What do they do?
They hover over the stars in the sky.

iii. What effect does the darkness have on the poet?
He says that the darkness is making him sad and reflective, and the rain also seems to mirror his emotions as it looks like tears falling softly from human eyes.

iv. Give the synonym of the word ‘ melancholy’
sad

(d) Now in memory comes my mother,
As she used in years agone,
To regard the darling dreamers
Ere she left them till dawn

i. Where is the poet lying and thinking about his mother ?
The poet is lying in bed in a cottage while it is raining outside and thinking about his mother.

ii. What does the poet remember about his mother?
The poet remembers how many years ago, in his childhood, his mother used to look down at him and his siblings as they were sleeping and having pleasant dreams.

iii. Why does the poet think that his mother had a special affection for him?
What the poet remembers more than anything is how his mother would bend down and watch over him in particular.

iv. Give the antonym of ‘dawn’
dusk

Q2 Answer the following in 30 to 40 words.

(a) How does the poet describe the sky before the rain falls ?
There were dark clouds hovering around in the sky. They hid the stars with darkness all around. The poet compares the darkness with sadness, as these humid shadows gently weep which pours down rainy tears.

(b) What does the poet do when it rains?
The poet lies in bed snuggly against the pillow in a cottage and listens to the patter of the rain overhead. He finds it bliss and begins to dream about things and his many memories come to him.

(c) What is the single major memory that comes to the poet? Who are the ‘darling
dreamers’ he refers to?
The single major memory that comes to the poet is that of his mother and her fond look.
The ‘darling dreamers’ are the poet and his siblings in their childhood when they were lovingly put to bed by their mother.

(d) ‘As I list to this refrain’ What refrain is the poet referring to?
The poet refers to the continuous tinkle of the rain as it falls on the shingles of the cottage as a ‘refrain’. The poet is lying snugly in bed in the cottage.

Q3. Answer the following in 100-120 words.

(a) What is the general atmosphere created in the poem?
The general atmosphere of the poem is very sombre. There is darkness around because the dark clouds are hovering over the stars in the sky . When it begins to rain, the poet compares it to weeping. When the poet lies snugly in bed in a cottage, the darkness is compensated with the feeling of peace and contentment .The poet begins to dream and recollect memories when his head presses against his pillow to conclude the long day into a goodnight’s rest. In the poem, past is being spoken about but not in terms of regret or sadness. Rain lulls the poet into dreams which bring back the memory of his family and the loved ones.

(b) How does the sound of the rain falling on the shingles on the cottage roof affect the
poet?
The raindrops make the loudest sound as they fall on the shingles of the roof. Each sound that is made by the rain in this way is repeated the next instant by the beating of his heart. He begins to dream about many things. As he is listening to the soft and continuous falling of the raindrops on his roof, all his memories come back to him, but they are not discrete and separated from each
other. Instead all of his memories seem to have formed a patchwork by becoming entwined with one another. The poet remembers how many years ago, in his childhood, his mother used to look down at him and his siblings as they were sleeping and having pleasant dreams. His mother would make a point to look at them every night, for she knew she would not see them again till the next morning. What the poet remembers more than anything is how his mother would bend down and watch
over him in particular.