Rain on the roof- Extra Questions and Notes

Rain on the roof-

Extra Questions and Notes

Introduction

The poem Rain on the Roof has been well explained through Introduction, Message, Theme, Title, Characters, Summary in English, Summary in Hindi which seems like Rain on the Rooftop, Word meanings, Complete lesson in Hindi, Extracts , Long answers, Short answers, Very short Answers, MCQs and much more. Enjoy the Rain on the Tin Roof for free.

When the sky is covered with dark clouds and it starts raining, everybody feels thrilled. One wishes to lie in a cosy bed and thousands of fancies rush through his mind. It is most joyful to enjoy listening to the music of the pattering sound of the rain-drops on the shingles of the roof. The poet expresses his love for nature and its beauty.

( जब आसमान में काले बादल छाए होते हैं और वर्षा शुरू हो जाती है तो प्रत्येक व्यक्ति रोमांचित हो उठता है । प्रत्येक व्यक्ति चाहता है कि वह आरामदायक बिस्तर पर पहा रहे और हजारों कल्पनाएँ उसके मन में पड़ा रहे और हजारों कल्पनाएँ उसके मन में दौड़ती हैं । छत की लकड़ी की स्लेटों पर वर्षा की बूंदों की आवाज़ को सुनना बहुत मधुर लगता है । कवि प्रकृति के प्रति उसमें प्यार और उसकी सुंदरता का वर्णन करता है । )

This lyrical poem “Rain on the Roof” by Coates Kinney presents the memories aroused in the poet’s mind by the showers falling on the tin roof. Through a number of metaphors, the poet shows that the drops of rain falling on the shingles of the roof sends a train of thoughts running in his mind. He is reminded of the way his mother used to bid him and his siblings a good night and put them to sleep. The poet connects his present with his past through the memories revived by the rain.

THEME

The theme of the poem is the healing power of rain. The musical sound of raindrops falling on the rooftop at night has the ability to revive sweet memories and rouse fancies in an otherwise busy mind. The rain thus soothes and comforts an overworked mind by taking it back to its lovely past. Some of our best memories in life are associated with rain.

TITLE

The very title, with a repetition of the sounds ‘r’ and ‘n’ and the long vowels ‘ai’ and ‘oo’ imitates the rhythmic pitter-patter of rain on a tin roof. Article ‘the’ before the word ‘roof’ makes it a specific roof – the roof of the poet’s house. Thus, the title is very apt as it is suggestive of the childhood memories the poet has of rain. The rain has magic like an effect on him every

time it falls on his room and lying lazily in his room, he listens to the sheer music of the rain. It triggers ‘a thousand dreamy fancies’ in his mind and thousands of memories come alive. In particular, the memory of the poet’s mother putting her children to sleep at night is indelible in his mind. Every time it rains, the poet relives the golden moments of his childhood. Thus, the title of the poem can be termed very appropriate.

DETAILED SUMMARY

This is a lyrical poem by Coates Kinney. In this poem, the poet expresses his love for nature and praises the beauty of nature. The poet says that when the clouds filled with rain vapours fleet in the sky everybody feels thrilled. The sadness weeps in rainy tears. It is very enjoyable to have rest in a cosy bed when it is raining outside. It is very enjoyable to hear the pattering sound of soft rain on the shingles of the roof. This makes an echo in the poet’s heart.

Many recollections and fancies take place in the poet’s mind. In his memory, his dead mother’s imagination also takes place. He feels happy at this. lie again listens the pattering sound of rain and gets thrilled.

MESSAGE

The poem conveys the message that rain has therapeutic and healing powers and forms lasting memories in the human mind of the sights, sound, fragrances and our experience associated with it, especially those involving our loved ones. Rain refreshes and rejuvenate us and forces us to recollect and relive our past memories.

SUMMARY IN HINDI

यह Coates Kinney द्वारा रचित एक सुंदर कविता है । इन कविता में कवि प्रकृति प्रति प्रेम और प्रकृति की सुंदरता के प्रति अपना लगाव प्रदर्शित करता है । कवि कहता है कि जब जलवाष्पों से भरपूर बादल असमान में दौड़ते है तो प्रत्येक व्यक्ति रोमांचित हो उठता है । उदासी वर्षा रूपी आँसुओं के रूप में रोने लगती है । जब बाहर वर्षा हो रही होती है तो उस समय आरामदायक बिस्तर में सोने का बहुत आनंद है । छत पर लगी लकड़ी की स्लेटों पर पड़ रहीं वर्षा की बूँदों की आवाज को सुनना आनंदित कर देता है । इसकी गूँज ,

कवि के ह्रदय में गूँजने लगती है।

कई विस्मृतियॉ और यादें कवि के मन में उठती हैं । उसकी स्मृतियों में उसकी मां की स्मृति भी आती है । इस पर वह बहुत प्रसन्न हो जाता है । वह एक बार फिर वर्षा की पटर-पटर की आवाज को सुनता है और बहुत प्रसन्न हो जाता है ।

STANZAS

(I)

When the humid shadows hover

Overall 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 like listening to the patter

Of the soft rain overhead!

In this stanza, the poet describes his experience of rain one day as he lies in a comfortable, leisurely mood in his cottage and listens to the soothing music made by the showers of rain falling overhead on the roof. The poet states that when the star-studded sky is thickly overcast with clouds, it leads to gloomy darkness all around. The vapours condense to form clouds that produce gentle rain. According to the imagination of the poet, the raindrops are the tears shed by the dense and sad darkness. The poet considers it to be a heavenly, delightful experience to lie in the comfortable bed pressing the head against a soft pillow and listening to the pattering sound of the showers of rain falling on the roof.

(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.

Ans: In the rainy season when the showers are falling on the roof, the poet considers it 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 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.

In this stanza, the poet describes the impact of the music made by rain on his heart and mind. He remarks that the tinkling sound produced by the raindrops falling on the roof tiles cause a resonance in his heart. His heart beats respond sensitively to every sound of the falling rain. In his much-occupied mind, a large number of fanciful and imaginative ideas spring up. Innumerable memories of the past are revived and get entwined as if woven like a patchwork as he lies listening to the pattering sound of the raindrops.

(a) What finds an echo in the heart of the poet?

Ans: The tinkling sound of the raindrops 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.

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 the roof’.

(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.

As the poet lies in his bed listening to the soft pattering sound of the gentle rain falling on the roof, among many other memories, there emerges in his mind the memory of his mother. He vividly remembers how she used to look affectionately at her children before she went to her bed leaving them for the night to meet again in the early morning. As he listens to the music of the rain, he can still experience the loving look of his mother. In fact, the rainy night reminds the poet of similar nights during his childhood when his mother was alive and showered love on him and his siblings.

(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 bedchamber 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 bedchamber for the night when she herself went to sleep in her own room.

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.

STANZA

When the hunted shadows hover

Overall 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 like listening to the patter

Of the soft rain overhead!

हिंदी अनुवाद – जब पानी से तर बादल हवा में मंडराने हुए सितारों से भरे आसमान में घूमते हैं और उदासी से पूर्ण अंधेरा वर्षा रुपी बूँदों के रूप में अपने आंसू बहाता है । ऐसे दिन में अपने घर में बिस्तर के सिरहाने पर रखकर लेटना और वर्षा की बूँदों की पटर –पटर की मधुर आवाज़ को सुनना कितना अच्छा लगता है ।

Questions :

(i) What do the humid shadows refer to?

(ii) How does the melancholy darkness weep?

(iii) What is a bliss for the poet?

(iv) What is the poet listening?

(v) Name the poet.

Answers :

(i) The humid shadows refer to the dark clouds.

(ii) The melancholy darkness weeps gently in rainy tears.

(iii) Lying in the bed on a rainy day is a bliss for the poet.

(iv) The pattering sound of the raindrops.

(v) Coates Kinney.

STANZA

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.

हिंदी अनुवाद – छत पर लगी स्लेटों पर पड़ने वाली प्रत्येक बूँद की मधुर –सी आहट की गूँज मेरे ह्रदय में उठती है । जब मैं छत पर वर्षा की बूँदों की पटर –पटर की आवाज़ को सुनता हूँ , तो मेरे मन में हजारों स्मृतियाँ अपना ताना – बाना सा बुनने लग जाती हैं ।

Questions :

(i) What makes an echo in the poet’s heart?

(ii) What rises in the poet’s mind?

(iii) What do the recollections do?

(iv) What does the poet listen?

(v) What is the meaning of the word ‘Shingles’?

Answers :

(i) he sounds of raindrops on the roof makes an echo in the poet’s heart.

(ii) Many fancies rise in the poet’s mind.

(iii) The recollections weave their air-threads into woof.

(iv) The sound of the raindrops.

(v) The rectangular shaped wooden tiles.

STANZA

Now in memory conies my mother,

As she used in years agorae,

To regard the darling dreamers

Ere she left them till the dawn :

O! I feel here fond look on me

As I list to this refrain

Which is played upon the shingles

By the patter of the rain.

हिंदी –अनुवाद – अब मुझे अपनी स्मृतियों में अपनी माँ का स्मरण हो उठता है ; जैसे कि बीते हुए समय में जब वह जीवित थी । अपने प्यारे बच्चों के लिए जिन प्यारी स्मृतियों को वह छोड़कर गई थी । और अब जब मैं अपनी छत की स्लेटों पर वर्षा की बूँदों की पटर –पटर की आवाज़ को सुनता हूँ तो मैं आनंदित महसूस करता हूँ ।

Questions :

(i) Where is the poet’s mother now?

(ii) Whose memory does come in the poet’s mind?

(iii) Whose fond look is the poet feeling?

(iv) What music is he listening?

(v) Name the poem and the poet.

Answers :

(i) She had died.

(ii) There comes the memory of his mother in his mind.

(iii) The poet is feeling the fond look of his mother.

(iv) He is listening to the music of the raindrops on the roof

(v) The name of the poem is ‘Rain On The Roof’ and the name of the poet is Coates Kinney.

Additional Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What do the humid shadows refer to?

Ans. The humid shadows refer to the dark clouds.

2. What is melancholy in the poem ‘Rain on the Roof’?

Ans. in this poem ‘darkness’ is melancholy.

3. What does the poet like to do when it rains?

Ans. When it rains the poet like to keep lying in his cosy bed and enjoy listening to the patter of soft raindrops.

4. What sound do the raindrops make?

Ans. The raindrops make the sound of patter.

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

Ans. The sound of the raindrops on the roof makes an echo in the poet’s heart.

6. What do the recollections do?

Ans. The recollections weave their air-threads into woof.

7. Where do the raindrop patter?

Ans. The raindrops patter on the shingles of the roof.

8. What is the single major memory that comes to the poet?

Ans. It is the memory of his mother.

9. Is the poet, Coates Kinney, a child now?

Ans. No, he is not a child now.

10. Who are the -darling dreamers” Coates Kinney refers to in the poem ‘Rain on the Roof’?

Ans. They are all the children of the mother.

11. Is the poet’s mother still alive now?

Ans. No, his mother is not alive.

12. Give the name of the poet of the poem ‘Rain on the Roof’.

Ans. Coates Kinney.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

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 starting: 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 raindrops 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 raindrops.

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 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 raindrops on the poet’s heart?

Ans: The tinkle of the raindrops echo in the heart of the poet as if his heartbeat 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?

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 bedchamber.

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 piece of 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.