Back to: Kerala Board Class 9th English Guide and Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
The poem ‘Song Of The Rain,’ by Khalil Gibran, is written in the first person. The rain is communicating straight to the audience. Raindrops define themselves as a dotted silver thread, a messenger of compassion, a welcoming feeling, a deep sea of affection, and other things.
About The Poet
Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese-American artist, poet, writer, and philosopher who lived from January 6, 1883 to April 10, 1931. He was born in the Bsharri town (north of modern-day Lebanon). He moved to the United States with his family as a young man to study art and begin his literary career, writing in both English and Arabic. ‘The Prophet’ and ‘Broken Wings’ are two of his most famous pieces.
Theme Of The Poem
Rain is one of nature’s most heavenly manifestations, bringing delight to all living things. Raindrops are magnificent pearls taken from the goddess Ishtar’s crown by Dawn’s daughter. Ishtar is a goddess who is associated with fertility, love, conflict, and romance. She was the ‘divine embodiment of the planet Venus’ in the Babylonian pantheon.
Stanza 1
I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven By the Gods. Nature then takes me, to adorn Her fields and valleys.
Rain is defined as a strew of dotted silver threads that God drops from the sky and which nature meticulously picks to beautify her farms and valleys. Raindrops fall one after another in a quick sequence, creating the appearance of dotted silver threads.
Stanza 2
I am beautiful pearls, plucked from the Crown of Ishtar by the daughter of Dawn To embellish the gardens.
Raindrops are characterized as lovely pearls picked from Ishtar’s crown by the daughter of the dawn to adorn and enhance the beauty of gardens.
Stanza 3
When I cry, the hills laugh; When I humble myself, the flowers rejoice; When I bow, all things are elated.
After the rain droplets cry, it creates an effect that makes it look like the hills are laughing, and when the rain stops, the flowers appear to be enjoying the moment. Similarly, when it rains, everything appears to be cheerful and overjoyed in happiness.
Stanza 4
The field and the cloud are lovers And between them I am a messenger of mercy. I quench the thirst of one; I cure the ailment of the other.
The raindrops are messengers between the clouds and the fields, and the clouds and the fields are lovers. It heals the fog by pouring down, and it quenches the thirst of the fields by streaming down. Rain is nature’s most gracious and majestic blessing on earth, hence it is a messenger of mercy rather than love.
Stanza 5
The voice of thunder declares my arrival; The rainbow announces my departure. I am like earthly life, which begins at The feet of the mad elements and ends Under the upraised wings of death.
Thunder announces the onset of rain, while the rainbow marks its departure. The hills laugh as it descends, and the flowers celebrate when it touches the ground. And as it penetrates down into the earth, everything rejoices.
Stanza 6
I emerge from the heart of the sea Soar with the breeze. When I see a field in Need, I descend and embrace the flowers and The trees in a million little ways, I touch gently at the windows with my Soft fingers, and my announcement is a Welcome song. All can hear, but only The sensitive can understand.
Rain arises right from the heart of the sea. With the breeze, it flies to greater heights. When a field is in desperate need of water, the rain comes down to irrigate it. Showers hug flowers and trees “in a million little ways” when they fall.
Stanza 7
The heat in the air gives birth to me, But in turn I kill it, As woman overcomes man with The strength she takes from him.
Rain is born from the heat in the environment, but the rain destroys the heat. This is comparable to a woman competing against a man with the power she gained through his backing.
Stanza 8-9
I am the sigh of the sea; The laughter of the field; The tears of heaven. So with love - Sighs from the deep sea of affection; Laughter from the colourful field of the spirit; Tears from the endless heaven of memories.
The rain’s arrival is like a pleasant welcoming song. The music produced by rain can be enjoyed by anyone, but only a few perceptive and delicate minds can comprehend it. It’s the ‘sigh of the sea,’ ‘laughter of the field’ and the ‘tears of heaven.’
