NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 3 – The Voice of the Rain
The Voice of the Rain Think it out
Question 1.
There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?
Answer:
The two voices in the poem are those of the poet and the rain. The poet asks the question : ‘who art thou ?’. ‘I am the Poem of Earth’, said the voice of the rain.
Question 2.
What does the phrase ‘strange to tell’ mean?
Answer:
The poet uses this phrase to express his surprise. It is a mystery how the rain speaks in human voice.
Question 3.
There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this ? Explain the similarity between the two.
Answer:
The rain and music are identical in a way. The rain calls herself the Poem of Earth. Neither can be touched. Both are eternal. Both bring joy to the earth, and beautify it. Rain, the song of the earth, disappears after fulfilling its purpose.
Question 4.
How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem?
Answer:
What is the origin of the clouds ? ‘It is bom out of the union of earth and the sky, the sun and water. Water turns into vapour, rises upward and turns into dark cloud. The r same cloud descends to the earth again in watery form. This cyclic movement goes on externally.
Question 5.
Why are the last two lines put within brackets?
Answer:
The last two lines are put within brackets because it is neither the voice of the ‘ poet, nor of the rain. It is a general comment on the life-cycle of water turned into clouds.
Question 6.
List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.
Answer:
rise — descend
day — night
altogether changed — yet the same
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 rain.
3. Eternal I rise.
4. For song…. duly with love returns.
Rewrite the above sentences in prose
1. The soft-falling shower said to me, “And who are you ?”
2. The voice of rain said, “I am the Poem of the Earth”
3. I rise eternal.
4. For song which used from its birthplace, after fulfilment and wandering, duly returns with love, no matter it is reck’d or unreck’d.
The Voice of the Rain Extra Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Why does the poet call the poem a translation?
Answer:
The poet asks the rain a question. The rain in its heavenly voice, answers the question. The poet has to translate that answer in simple English.
Question 2.
How are the clouds formed?
Answer:
Clouds are bom out of the union of the sky and the ocean. The hot sun takes the water vapours upward. The clouds dissolve into water again in rainy season.
Question 3.
How does the rain describe herself?
Answer:
The soft falling shower calls itself the Poem of Earth. It is immortal. It may change ! in shape but it remains the same water.
Question 4.
‘Altogether change, and yet the same’. Say, what it means.
Answer:
The sea. water in summer turns into water vapours which rise to the sky in the form of clouds. The clouds come down again in the form of rain water. So the change is apparent, but not real.
Question 5.
How does ‘it’ descend ? What does it do?
Answer:
The clouds descend or come down to the earth again here and there. It takes on funny and terrifying shape. When it comes down, it waters the dry fields and forests. It washes away dust particles and give a new life to seeds.
Question 6.
I give back life to my own origin. How does the rain do it?
Answer:
The rain originates from the land and sea. It rises to the sky only to come down again. It enables the seeds to sprout and grow water is the soul of nature. Without rain, the earth would become a deadly desert.
Question 7.
What is the ‘fulfilment’ of the rain?
Answer:
The fulfilment of the rain is in its service to nature. It gives new life to seeds, to grass and to earth.
Question 8.
Sum up the life story of the rain or the cloud in about 80 words.
Answer:
The poet asks the gentle shower about its origin and function. The clouds carry water in the form of vapours. They draw this water from the land and the sea. They change in form only. They come to earth’s rescue when its becomes dry and thirsty. They wash away the dust particles in the air as well as earthly objects. The seeds wake up and come alive. The cloud returns to the earth what it takes out of it. This cycle gives on and on eternally.
