Beehive : P 3 : Rain On The Roof : By Coates Kinney

Q. : Write the summary of the poem Rain On The Roof.

Ans. As the dark clouds begin to move in the starry regions of the sky, there is sadness felt by
the sky and it is seen in the form of raindrops which are like the tears shed by the sky. To the
poet, this natural phenomenon is a great bliss as he lies in his bed, pressing the pillow and
listening to the patter of the soft rain on the cottage roof.
The falling of the raindrops on the tiles of the roof creates a musical effect which echoes the
thrill of his heart.
He goes into daydreaming. Innumerable fancies begin to throng his heart and mind, bringing out
so many memories associated with his past experiences. He listens to the patter of the rain on
the roof of his cottage with feelings of joy.
At this time comes afresh the memory of his mother. He remembers her benevolent looks as
she used to leave him alone in sweet dreams of sleep till dawn. The poet cherishes her love and
sweet looks as he listens to the patter of the rain on the roof of his cottage.

VOCABULARY
Humid. : wet
Hover over. : stay in the air in one place
Melancholy : sadness
Patter : sound of raindrops
Tinkle : sound of rain falling on stones
Shingles : small , smooth stones
Fancies : imagined things
Recollections : memories
Alone : that is past now
Bliss : happiness
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does the poet enjoy listening to
A. Film music
B. Pattering sound of raindrops
C. Old songs
Ans. B
2. What does the poet attach the darkness with
A. Sadness
B. Joyful mood
C. Soothing
Ans. A
3. What are the humid shadows doing in the sphere?
A. Doing nothing
B. Steeping
C. Floating in the air
4. What is a bliss for the poet?
A. Lying on the bed in a joyful mood
 B. Bathing in the rain
C. Getting a lot of money
Ans. A
5. What tinkles on the shingles?
A. Hailstones
B. Raindrops
C. Silver bangles
Ans. B
6. Who is the poet of "Rain on the Roof"?
A. Wordsworth
B. Tennyson
C. Coates Kinney
Ans. C

Q. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow :
Extract
' Now……………………………...rain. '
1. Who comes in the memory of the child when it rains?
A. : When it rains the mother comes in the memory of the child.
2. What does the poet like to do when it rains?
A. He feels happy to press the pillow and lie listening to the patter of rain.
3. Who are the darling dreamers in the poem?
A. The darling dreamers in the poem are the poet's brothers and sisters.
4. What does the poet listen?
A. The poet listens to the sound of the rain.
Extract
' What…………………overhead.'
1.Why was it bliss to press the pillow?
A. It was a bliss to press the pillow because the rain drops could be heard which were a
blessing after the sky was overcast.
2. Why was the rain soft to listen?
A. The raindrops which fell on the rooftop sounded as a soft melody to the ears.
3. Name the poem and the poet.
A. The poem is Rain On The Roof composed by Coates Kinney.
4. Was the rain torrential or gentle?
A. The rain was gentle or soft.
Q. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem and what poetic devices have been used in it ?
A. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB DEFE. The poetic devices used in this poem
are:
Alliteration: humid hover , starry spheres , press pillow , cottage chamber , lie listening
Repitition: listening to the patter(7) , listen to the patter(15)
Imagery: melancholy darkness, rainy tears, starry spheres
Onomatopoeia: patter
Personification: darkness : sadness
Transferred epithet: darkness: melancholy
darkness--noun meloncholy---- adjective
In other words , the brother and sister of the poet.