The Voice of The Rain

      POEM - 5HE VOICE OF THE RAIN

                BY - Walt Whitman

Poet Introduction 

Walter Whitman Jr. May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist; he also wrote two novels. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and world literature. Whitman incorporated both transcendentalism and realism in his writings and is often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some as obscene for its overt sensuality.

Poem  Introduction 

Walt Whitman’s “The Voice of the Rain” is written as a dialogue in which the rain answers the poet’s question by calling itself the “Poem of Earth,” describing its endless cycle of rising as vapour and falling back to nourish and purify the land. The poet closes by comparing this cycle to a song that leaves its singer’s heart, fulfills its purpose, and returns home with love.

Water Cycle 

Word Meanings

Art thou: Are you
Eternal: Never-ending or everlasting
Impalpable: Something that cannot be touched or felt physically; unseen
Whence: From where
Descend: To come down or fall
Lave: To wash or bathe
Drouths (Droughts): Long dry periods without rain
Atomies: Tiny dust particles
Latent: Hidden or sleeping/dormant seeds underground
Issuing: Coming out or originating from a place
Reck'd: Cared about or noticed
Unreck'd: Uncared for or ignored




Duly: Properly or rightly.                                                                                   EXTRACTS.                                                                                                        





Poetic Devices

1. Rhyme scheme – The poem is Free Verse 

Literary devices

Metaphor – (indirect comparison between two objects or ideas to denote similarity.)

I am the poem of the earth – the rain is compared indirectly to a poem. 

Personification – (giving human characteristics to non-human objects)

Said the voice of the rain – the rain is speaking like a human

Hyperbole – exaggerated statement

Bottomless sea – refers to the deep sea which has its bottom deep below.                                                                                                                QUESTIONS 

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

Answer: The phrase refers to a peculiar phenomenon, as the raindrop responds to the poet’s questions.                                                                  

2- What is the main theme of the poem "The Voice of the Rain"?

Answer: The main theme of the poem is the life-giving and renewing power of rain. The rain speaks to the earth and all living things, symbolizing nature's continuous cycle of life and growth.

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

Ans: The phrase ‘strange to tell’ means that it was strange for the soft-falling rain to reply to the poet’s question. When the poet asked the rain ‘who art thou?’ the rain replied ‘I am the Poem of Earth’.

4. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.
Ans: The lines ‘For the song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfillment, wandering Reck’d or unreck’d, duly with love returns’ draws a parallel between rain and music. Here, the poet compares the life-cycle of the rain and the song. As the song originated from the heart of the singer, wanders to the world, whether liked or not, comes back to its birth-place in the end with lots of love. Similarly, the rain that originates from earth (birth-place), fulfills its duty to beautify and purify the earth and wanders and comes back with love for its creator.

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

Answer: The last two lines are the poet’s thoughts or observations, not part of the conversation between the poet and the rain. That’s why they are placed in brackets—to show that they are separate from the dialogue and express a general idea instead of something spoken by the rain or the poet.