Voice of the Rain Question Answer

1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?

Ans: The poet's voice and the voice of the rain are the two voices in the poem. The poem opens with a casual tone. The lines are “And who art thou? Said I ……..” and „I am the poem of Earth‟. 

 

2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?

Ans: The phrase "strange to tell" refers to the rain drops' unexpected and remarkable response to the poet's question about who "it was."

 

3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.

Ans: The following words/phrases suggest a connection between rain and music: ‘Poem of Earth,' ‘eternal I rise impalpable out of land and the unfathomable sea,' and so on. ‘For singing returns duly with affection’. Both come from a source, rise, find fulfillment, travel around whether or not they are cared for, and eventually return to the point of origin with love.

 

4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learned in science.

Ans: Rainwater rises untouched from the land and deep-sea, gathers in the sky, changes shape, and finally descends to earth to wash the dry, microscopic dust particles and everything buried beneath them. Then it returns to its original location. According to science textbooks, due to the extreme heat, water vapors from rivers and the ocean rise to the sky. They take the shape of clouds and, after condensing, fall like rain. Rivers carry the water back to the seas and oceans.

 

5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?

Ans: A statement about music and its cycle appears in the last two lines. These are not the same as the first nine lines. The poet's voice is heard in the first two lines, while rain speaks in lines three through nine. The song cycle is enclosed in brackets to indicate that the speakers differ but the substance is similar.

 

6. List the pair of opposites found in the poem.

Ans: The pairs that are found the opposite in the poem are:

Rise- Descend; Day-Night; Reck’d-Unreck’d

 

7. Notice the following sentence patterns. Rewrite these sentences in prose.

a. And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower.

Ans: I enquired about its identification from the mild rain.

 

b. I am the Poem of Earth said the voice of the rain.

Ans: The rain's voice presented itself as the Earth's Poem.

 

c. Eternal I rise.

Ans: The rain's speech described its upward march to the sky as endless.

 

d. For song…duly with love returns Rewrite the above sentences in prose.

Ans: The poet claims that, like the natural cycle of rain, a song begins in the poet's heart, travels to reach others, and then returns to the poet with all due affection after serving its mission (whether acknowledged or not).

 

8. Look for some more poems on the rain and see how this one is different from them.

Ans: In a similar way, Langston Hughes' poem "April Rain Song" explores the impact of rain on life. Rain is described as "silver liquid drops" on the roof, playing a sleepy melody. While Hughes' poem celebrates rain and shows his love for it, Whitman's poem depicts a conversation between the poet and the rain, in which the rain articulates its life cycle, beginning and ending with the poet.

 

Voice of the Rain Questions and Answers

1. In the poem ‘The Voice of the Rain’ who is engaged in a conversation?

A.        The poet and rain are engaged in a conversation.

B.        The poet and mountains are engaged in a conversation.

C.        Rain and trees are engaged in a conversation.

D.        Birds and rain are engaged in a conversation.

Ans. A. The poet and rain are engaged in a conversation. 

 

2. What question does the poet ask the shower that was soft falling?

A.        The poet asks - What do you do?

B.        The poet asks - What is your name?

C.        The poet asks - Who are you?

D.        The poet asks - How are you doing?

Ans. C. The poet asks - Who are you?

 

3. What answer does the rain give to the poet’s question ‘Who are you’?

A.        The rain replied that she is rain

B.        The rain replied that she is the poem of earth

C.        The rain replied that she is rain from the mountains

D.        The rain replied that she is a poem about mountains

Ans. B. The rain replied that she is the poem of earth

 

4. What was the reason according to the rain not being touched?

A.        Because she is water

B.        Because the rain rises in the form of water vapour

C.        As she is in the form of clouds

D.        None of the above

Ans. B. because the rain rises in the form of water vapour

 

5. Name the two places from where the rain rises in the form of water vapour?

A. Land and bottomless sea

B. Land and ocean

C. Mountains and land

D. None of the above

Ans. A. Land and bottomless sea

 

6. In the poem, what is said happens to the earth when the rain falls on the surface of the earth?

A.        It provides water

B.        It beautifies and purifies the earth

C.        It helps with greenery

D.        It provides water to flora and fauna

Ans. A. It provides water

 

Voice of the Rain Extra Question Answer

There is a parallel drawn between rain  and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.

Answer:

The following words/phrases indicate the parallel between rain and music: ‘Poem of Earth’, ‘eternal I rise impalpable out of land and the bottomless sea’ ‘For song duly with love returns.’

Both originate from a source, rise up, reach fulfilment, wander about whether cared about or not and finally return to source of origin with love.

How is the cyclic movement of rein brought out in the poem?

Answer:

Rain water rises untouched out of the land and deep sea and gathers in the sky, where it changes form, and then comes down to earth to bathe the dry tiny particles of dust layers and all that lies buried under it. Then it returns to the place of its origin. Science textbooks indicate that water vapours from the rivers and ocean rise up to the sky due to the intense heat. They assume the form of clouds and after condensation drop down as rain. The water flows back through rivers to the seas and oceans.

Rewrite these sentences in prose.

1.        And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower.

2.        I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain.

3.        Eternal I rise

4.        For song duly with love returns.

Answer:

1.        I said to the soft-falling shower, “Who are you?”

2.        The voice of the rain said, “I am the poem of Earth.”

3.        I rise eternally.

4.        For song returns duly with love.

Question 1:

The poem begins in a conversational tone. Who are the two participants? What is the advantage of this method?

Answer:

The two participants are the poet and the rain. The poet makes the rain relate its own story. This direct presentation makes the narration more authentic, interesting and captivating.

Question 2:

“Behind the apparent simplicity, the poem hides a deep meaning.” What exactly does the poem convey to the reader?

Answer:

The poem is not merely a description of life-cycle of rain. It has deeper meaning. Rain is a poem or thing of beauty of Earth and so is song or music. The comparison between rain and music .and their function: making the Earth pure and beautiful conveys the eternal role of natural phenomenon and art in real life.

Question 3:

How does the rain justify its claim: “I am the Poem of Earth’”?

Answer:

The rain narrates the journey of its life—from birth to return to origin in mythical terms. The facts are scientific but the phrases that convey them are metaphoric and literary. The whole journey has a beauty and charm associated with a poem.

How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem “The Voice of the Rain”? What points of similarity do you notice between rain and music?

Answer:

The rain calls itself the poem of earth. It is everlasting and perpetual. It is something that cannot be touched. It originates from the land and the deep sea. Then it rises upward to heaven where it changes its form into a cloud, yet remains the same in quality. From the sky it pours down on earth to wash the dry tiny particles and dust layers of the earth. The rain helps the unborn seeds to sprout. These seeds lay hidden and unborn under the layers of earth. Rain gives back life to its origin making it pure and beautiful. Rain and music are both beautiful and life-giving. They are eternal sources of joy and go on perpetually. They inspire even dormant objects and persons with life and activity.