NCERT Solutions Class 11, English, Hornbill, Poem- 3, The Voice of the Rain
Think it out
I.1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?
Solution:
The poem begins in a conversational tone. The two voices in the poem are the voice of the poet and the voice of the rain.
The lines that indicate the voice of the poet and the rain are, “And who art thou? Said I to the soft-falling shower,” and the lines that indicate the voice of the rain are, “I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain”.
2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?
Solution:
The phrase refers to a strange phenomenon—the rain gives an answer to the poet’s query. It is surprising to report the answer.
3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.
Solution:
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.
4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learnt in science.
Solution:
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.
5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?
Solution:
The last two lines are put within brackets because they do not form the voice of the rain or the poet. They only contain a general observation made by the poet about the course of a song.
6. List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.
Solution:
(a) Day, night
(b) Reck’d, unreck’d
(c) Rise, descend
II. Notice the following sentence patterns.
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
Rewrite the above sentences in prose.
Solution:
- I said to the soft-falling shower, “Who are you?”
- The voice of the rain said, “I am the poem of Earth.”
- I rise eternally.
- For song returns duly with love.