Grade IX

Lesson 3. Rain on the Roof

- Coates Kinney

Poetry

Soul of the poem

At night, there are dark clouds that cover the sky. It rains gently and the poet lies on

his cosy bed listening to the patter of soft rain on the roof. He enjoys sound, the melody of

nature.

Every tinkle on the roof echoes in his heart. He recalls the memories of his childhood.

The single memory that comes to him, is that of his mother. He pictures the face of his mother

as it used to look at him as she tucked him in bed. He recalls how his mother used to tell him

mother used to tell him stories. He continues enjoying the patter of rain on the roof.

NCERT Questions

Thinking About the Poem

I. 1. What do the following phrases mean to you? Discuss in class.

(i) humid shadows

(ii) starry spheres

(iii) what a bliss

(iv) a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start

(v) a thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof.

(i) “Humid shadows” refers to the dark clouds that produce rain.

(ii) “Starry spheres” refers 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 cottage and enjoys the patter of rain upon the roof.

(iv) This refers to the various imaginary thoughts and fantasies that are aroused in the

poet’s mind.

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 (v) This phrases 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 sleep 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. He remembers his mother when he is

inside his cosy cottage enjoying the patter of rain on the roof.

II.

1. When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the poet’s did?

Yes, my mother used to tuck me in when I was a young child.

2. Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the

poem?

Yes, I like the rain. When it rains steadily I get into my house enjoy the weather with my

family.

3. 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.

No, everybody does not have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains. Not everybody gets to enjoy

the comfort of cosy homes during rain. There are human beings and animals seeking shelter

under trees and 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 drench and shivering 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.

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 Solved Question Bank

Reference-to-Context Questions

Q. Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. 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 bed

Of the sift rain overhead!

a. ‘Humid shadows’ in the first line refers to the ________ which are laden with

water.

Dark clouds

b. In the above lines, rain has been compared to _________.

Tears

c. At the time of rainfall, the poet feels it to be a blessing to lie down in his bed and

listen to the falling rain.

True

d. The word in the above lines that means the same as ‘sad’ is _______.

‘Melancholy’

2. 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. Every light ringing sound on his roof has _______.

An echo in the heart.

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 b. The port recollects many _________ while listening to the patter of rain.

Memories

c. In general ‘busy being’ refers to the animals.

False

d. The word in the above stanza which means the same as ‘imagination’ is ________.

‘Fancies’

3. Now in memory comes my mother,

As she used in years agone,

To regard the darling dreamers

Ere she left them till the dawn:

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.

a. In the above stanza, the poet is dreaming of _______.

His mother

b. The poet still feels that his mother is __________.

Looking at him

c. The poet’s mother has already left for her heavenly abode.

True

d. ______ is the word in the passage which passage which means ‘a repeated part of a

song or a poem’.

‘Refrain’

Short Answer Questions

1. What is ‘a bliss’ for the poet in the poem Rain on the Roof?

The poet loves rain as it brings his memories back. He thinks it is a bliss to hear the patter

of the rain on the roof. When it rains, he lies in his cosy be and enjoys the melodies if

nature. The thinking of rain gives him immense pleasure. It’s a bliss for him.

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2. What does the poet dream of?

The poet dreams of his childhood days. He is lost in reveries. He recalls his mother’s face.

He feels as if his mother was fondly looking at him. He remembers how lovingly his mother

used to tell him stories. His mind is flooded with thousands of memories.

3. “When the humid shadows hover all the starry spheres”. What does the ‘shadows’ stand

for? What does the poet want to convey?

The humid shadows stand for the dark clouds. The poet imagines that the sky is full of

starts and it was suddenly covered with the dark and humid clouds.

4. ‘And the melancholy darkness gently weeps in rainy tears.’ What does the melancholy

darkness mean and what does it do?

The melancholy darkness stands for the clouds. The poet imagines that the clouds covering

the sky are in the state of depression. The poet further imagines that the clouds are

weeping in a gently manner a d their tears are falling down as rain drops.

5. How does the poet describe the falling rain in the poem ‘Rain of the Roof’?

The poet describes the falling rain as ‘the melancholy darkness gently weeps in rainy tears’.

The falling of rain creates pleasant sound and provides immense pleasure. The poet loves to

hear the melody of nature. He listens to the patter of soft rain on the wooden roof and is

lost in reveries. He considers it a rare happiness to listen to the patter of the rain on the

roof.

6. “And a thousand dreamy fancies into busy heart”. When does the ‘thousand dreamy

fancies’ begin in the poet’s heart?

When it rains, the poet gets into the cosy cottage. He lies in his bed and listens to the

patter of soft rain on the roof. He enjoys the melody of nature. While listening to the sound

of rain, his mind is flooded with memories. A thousand dreamy fancies flood his mind.

7. ‘Now in memory comes my mother.’ When does the poet remember his mother? What

does it show about him?

When the poet is in his cosy cottage and enjoys the melody of nature, many childhood

memories emerge in his mind. The most touching image that comes to his mind, is of his

mother. He remembers her and revives her old memories.

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8. ‘As I list to this refrain’. Which kind of refrain is the poet referring to?

The poet remembers his childhood days while remembering his mother. The kind of refrain

he refers to is the repetition of the sound of raindrops falling on the wooden tiles of his

cottage.

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