NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Poem Rain on the Roof

Thinking about the Poem

Question:- I.

1. What do the following phrases mean to you? Discuss in class.

• (i) humid shadows
• (ii) starry spheres
• (iii) what a bliss
• (iv) a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start
• (v) a thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof

Answer:-

• (i) “Humid shadows” means the dark clouds that bring rain.
• ii) “Starry spheres” means the sky full of stars at night .
• (iii) “What a bliss” refers to the happiness of the poet listening the falling raindrops on the roof.
• (iv) “a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start” refers to the various imaginary dreams, ideas and fantasies that are aroused in the poet’s mind due to the falling of the raindrop.
• (v) a thousand recollections weft their air-threads—the poet feels as though his old memories are being knitted in front of him.

2. What does the poet like to do when it rains?

Answer:- The poet likes to press his head into the pillow of his cottage chamber bed and listen to the patter sound of the soft rain overhead.

3. What is the single major memory that comes to the poet? Who are the “darling dreamers” he refers to?

Answer:- The poet’s mother and her fond look on the poet. is the single major memory that comes to his mind. ‘Darling dreamers’ refers to those ‘kids’ who remember their mothers like the poet.

4. Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?

Answer:- No, the poet not a child now, he is now a grown up man. His mother is not alive anymore.

Question:- II. 1. When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the poet’s did?

Answer:-  Yes, when I was a young child, my mother used to tucked me in. She used to sing  lullabies for till I sleep. She used to be worried whenever something happened to me.

2. Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the poem?

Answer:- Yes, I like when it rains. When it rains heavily I prefer to take a bath and like to listen to the patter of the rain on the overhead. Sometimes I like to stay inside and just enjoy the nature’s beauty.

3. Does everybody have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains? Look around you and describe how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter etc. during rain.

Answer:- No, everybody is not so lucky to have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains. There are some people who live at the footpath. They don’t have even roof over their head. Animals too try to find safe places to save themselves from getting wet during rain.