Question

And who art thou said I to the soft failing shower which strange to tell gave an answer as here translated. 1.Who is 'I' in the rain call itself? why?2.What does the poet say here translated? 3.Why does the poet say 'as here translated'? 4.Explain the views of the poet in your words.

Answer 1

Question.1.

I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven

By the gods. Nature then takes me to adorn

Her fields and valleys.

(a) Name the poem and the poet of the above extract.
(b) Who is T ? Why is T being compared to silver threads ?
(c) Explain the line ‘Nature…. valleys’.
Answers :
(а) The poem is ‘Song of the Rain’. The poet is Kahlil Gibran.
(b) ‘I’ is the rain. T, that is the rain, falls in strings of sparkling drops, like silver threads.
(c) The line means that Nature uses rain to decorate fields and valleys. Fields and valleys look fresh and beautiful with rain drops.

Question.2.

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. 

(a) How is the arrival of rain announced ?
(b) Why is it welcomed ?
(c) What is the difference between hearing and understanding ?
Answers:
(а) The arrival of the rain is announced by a welcome song.
(b) It is welcomed because it is needed by all – men, animals, plants.
(c) Hearing means hearing casually, whereas understanding implies hearing something with understanding its meaning as well.

Question.3.

‘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 wings of death’.

(а) Whose arrival is declared by ‘the voice of thunder’ ?
(b) ‘I am like earthly life’. Explain.
(c) What do you mean by ‘wings of death’ ?
Answers :
(a) The rain’s arrival is declared by ‘the voice of thunder’.
(b) The rain’s life is similar to the worldly life. It takes birth and then dies.
(c) “Wings of death’ means various causes or forces of death.

Q- What does the poet say here translated?

A- Because it is an old poem and the words mainly used then was 'dost' meaning 'do' and 'thou' meaning 'you'.So he says "as here translated".



Hope it helps you.