RAIN ON THE ROOF

Word meanings:

1. Humid: moist
2. Shadows: clouds
3. Hover: float
4. Melancholy: sadness
5. Weeps: cries
6. Bliss: Blessing
7. Cottage: House
8. Chamber: Room
9. Patter: Sound of rain
10. Tinkle: Ringing sound.
11. Shingle: Roof tiles
12. Echo: Reflection of sound:
13. Fancies: Imaginations
14. Recollections: Memories
15. Weave: spin
16. Air-threads: Imaginations
17. Woof: Fabric
18. List: Listen
19. Refrain: Repeated sounds.
20. Regard: Wish
21. Ere: When
22. Fond: Love
23. Agone

RHYME SCHEME: abcbdefe

Poetic Devices:
Alliteration:
a. Cottage-chamber
b. Lie listening
c. Darling dreamers
d. Press the pillow
e. Busy-being
f. Stary spheres
Personification:
a. Gently weeps
 b. Weave their air-threads.
Onomatopoeia
a. Patter
b. Tinkle
c. Echo

Transferred Epithet:
a. Melancholy darkness
Metaphor:
a. Rainy tears
b. Melancholy Darkness
c. Weave their air-threads into woof.

Q1. What happens before it starts to rain?

Before it starts to rain, the dark moisture-laden clouds hover and cover the starry sky. This gives
a gloomy and sad look. Then the clouds shed tears in the form of rain.

Q2. What is a ‘bliss’ in the poem?

According to the poet, lying in his cozy bed and enjoying listening to the soothing sounds of the
rain is pure bliss.

Q3. What makes an echo in the poet’s heart?

The musical and pattering sounds of rain on the roof..

Q4. How does the rain affect the poet’s imagination?

Listening to the soothing sound of the rain, the poet’s imagination begins to give birth to many
dreams and fancies and he begins weaving these dreams along with his memories from the past
events.

Q5. ‘A thousand recollections” refers to …

Poet’s memories of the past.

Q6. Whom does the poet remember so fondly?

The poet, listening to the soothing sounds of the rain, remembers his deceased mother who used
to regard him and his siblings before they went to bed. He feels as if she is still looking at him
while he listens to the sound of the rain.

Q7. Who are the darling dreamers?

The poet and his siblings.
Q8. What do you mean by
a) Starry spheres: The sky filled with shining stars.
b) Humid shadows: The dark, moisture-laden clouds that hover in the sky before it rains.
c) Bliss: lying in his cozy bed and enjoying listening to the soothing sounds of the rain is
pure bliss.
d) A thousand dreamy fantasies into busy being start: Listening to the soothing sound of the
rain, the poet’s imagination begins to give birth to many dreams and fancies.
e) A thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof: Listening to the soothing
sound of the rain, the poet recollects a number of memories, which begin to weave
themselves in his mind.

Q9. Central idea / theme of the poem.

The theme of the poem is the healing power of rain. The musical sound of raindrops falling on
the rooftop serves as a therapy, revives many sweet memories and rouses fancies in our minds.
The rain thus soothes and comforts an overworked mind by taking it back to the lovely past.
Some of our best memories are associated with rain.