The voice of the rain

I. 1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?
Ans: The two voices in the poem are the ‘voice of the rain’ and the ‘voice of the poet’. The lines
which indicate the voice of the rain are ‘I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain’ and the
lines which indicate the voice of the poet are ‘And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower’.
2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?
Ans: The phrase ‘strange to tell’ means that it was strange for the soft-falling rain to reply to the
poet’s question. When the poet asked the rain ‘who art thou?’ the rain replied ‘I am the Poem of
Earth’.
3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the
similarity between the two.
Ans: The lines ‘For the song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfillment, wandering Reck’d or
unreck’d, duly with love returns’ draws a parallel between rain and music. Here, the poet compares
the life-cycle of the rain and the song. As the song originated from the heart of the singer, wanders
to the world, whether liked or not, comes back to its birth-place in the end with lots of love. Similarly,
the rain that originates from earth (birth-place), fulfills its duty to beautify and purify the earth and
wanders and comes back with love for its creator.
4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you
have learnt in science.
Ans: In the poem, the water rises from the land and the bottomless sea in the form of vapour. It then
changes its form, transforms itself into clouds. It comes down to the earth in the form of rain to wash
drought, provide water, give life to unborn and latent seeds inside the earth. The rain purifies and
beautifies the earth.
In science, the water is evaporated in the form of water vapour, condenses in the sky to form clouds,
and then rains down in the form of water into rivers, streams, ground, ocean, etc. In the poem, the
rain describes its eternal journey itself.
5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?
Ans: The last two lines are put within the bracket because they are the observations made by the
poet and his thoughts. He made a similarity between the rain and the music.
6. List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.
Ans:
1. Day, Night
2. Reck’d, Unreck’d
3. Rise, Descend

Grammar Exercises
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.
Ans:
1. I asked the soft-falling shower about its identity.
2. The voice of the rain presented herself as the poem of earth.
3. The rain told the poet that she rises upwards in a never-ending process
4. The poet says that rain and music are similar to the song originates from the heart of the singer, it
travels across and fulfills its purpose. It comes back with all the love for the singer.
Top
Class 11 English The Voice of the Rain Question Answers
Poem 3 – Extract Based Questions
Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct
option for each question by carefully reading the passage.
A. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
And who art thou? Said I to the soft falling shower,
Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here Translated:
I am the poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,
Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,
Upwards to heaven, whence, vaguely form’d, altogether Changed, and yet the same.
Q1. What do you understand by the phrase ‘Strange to tell’?
Ans. The phrase ‘Strange to tell’ means that it is an unordinary and exceptional thing to receive an
answer from the inanimate raindrops.
Q2.How has the answer been conveyed to us and what is it?
Ans. The poet has personified a raindrop to represent the response, and the personified rain drop
responds to the poet’s question by claiming to be the “Poem of the Planet.”
Q3. Why does the rain call itself ‘eternal’?
Ans. The rain refers to itself as eternal since the rain’s formation process never ends.
Q4. Explain ‘vaguely formed’.
Ans. The term “vaguely formed” describes the development of clouds that are filled with rainwater
vapour. Due to the lack of a distinct shape in these clouds, the rain takes on a vague appearance.
Q5. Explain ‘altogether Changed, and yet the Same.’
Ans. The phrase indicates that rain is formed by raindrops in the sky. As a result, although their form
has changed, their essence has not.
B. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
I descend to leave the droughts, Atomies, dust layers of the globe,
And all that in them without me were seeds only, latent, unborn;
And forever, by day and night, I give back life to my own origin,
And make pure and beautify it.
(For song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfilment, wandering Reck’d or unreck’d, duly with love
returns)
Q1. With what purpose does the rain descend from the sky?
Ans. To give life to the Earth, which is suffering from dryness and drought, raindrops fall from the
sky.
Q2. How does the rain help the seeds?
Ans. The absence of water causes the seeds to be dormant and incapable of sprouting before it
rains. Rain provides them with the water they require to germinate and grow into new plants.
Q3. Why has the poet compared the rain to a song?
Ans. The poet has equated the song’s life cycle to that of raindrops, claiming that both return to their
source after finishing their duty. They both cure and beautify the Planet and the heart of Man during
their trip, respectively.
Q4. Why are the last lines put within brackets?
Ans. The final lines are enclosed in brackets since neither the rain nor the poet can be heard in
them. These just confirm a poet’s broad observation regarding the development of a song.
Q5. Where does the song return?
Ans. The song goes back to the spot where it started, i.e. to the poet’s heart.
C. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower,
Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated:
I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,”
1. What is the difference between the two ‘I’ in the given lines?
A. One is of the poet and the other is of the rain
B. One is with love and other is with surprise
C. One asks the question and the other answers
D. Both A and C
Ans. D
2. The poet specifically says that the answer was given by ‘The Voice of the Rain’. The
emphasis on the voice of rain adds a hint of ………… to the poem.
A. mystery
B. thrill
C. drama
D. doubt
Ans. A. mystery
3. What do you understand by the phrase ‘strange to tel
A. Unusualness of the answer for the poet
B. Stupidness of the answer for the earth
C. Ordinariness of the answer for the poet
D. Commonness of the answer for the raindrops
Ans. A. Unusualness of the answer for the poet
4. The two voices in the poem are those of the-
A. rain and the poet
B. Translator
C. Advocate of rain
D. Rain itself
Ans. A. rain and the poet
D. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,
Upward to heaven, whence, vaguely form’d, altogether changed, and yet the same,
I descend to lave the droughts, atomies, dust-layers of the globe,
And all that in them without me were seeds only, latent, unborn;”
1. From where does the rain originate?
A. Clouds and land
B. Land and sea
C. Sky and sea
D. Sky and land
Ans. B. Land and sea
2. What happens to the raindrops in the sky?
A. They change their form
B. They evaporate to become air
C. They disappear from earth
D. Nothing
Ans. A. They change their form
3. With what purpose does the rain descend from the sky?
A. To destroy crop
B. To flatter the poet
C. To entertain earth
D. To give life to the planet
Ans. D. To give life to the planet
4. What is ‘latent’ and ‘unborn’?
A. Flowers
B. Plants
C. Earth
D.Seeds
Ans. D. Seeds
5. What quality of rain is highlighted in the extract?
A. Entertainer
B. Healer
C. Preserver
D. Caregiver
Ans. B. Healer

Top
Class 11 English The Voice of the Rain Question Answers
(including questions from Previous Years Question Papers)
In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from the Poem 3 The Voice
of the Rain for CBSE Class 11 exams for the coming session.
1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?
(NCERT)
Ans. The interaction between the poet and the rain itself is shown in the poem “The Voice of the
Rain.” The poet in this poem inquires as to its identity. The poet gets an answer as the rain itself
gives its introduction. Rain and the poet are thus the two voices in the poem. These are:
(i) I addressed the softly falling shower in the poet’s voice and said, “Who art thou?”
(ii) In the voice of the rain, I am the Earth’s poem, said the voice of the rain.
2. What does the phrase ‘strange to tell’ mean? (NCERT)
Ans. The poet’s wonder at the rain’s capacity for communication is conveyed in the sentence. It is
thought that rain cannot communicate like living things. The poet thinks that the fact that the rain
should speak and respond to his query will surprise and seem strange to the readers as well.
3. How does the rain justify its claim ‘I am the Poem of Earth’?
Ans. The poem that the poet creates has the duty of delivering its audience joy, happiness, and life,
which is why the rain refers to itself as the poem of the Earth. Similar to how music or rhythm is
produced when rain falls on Earth. Because of this, rain refers to itself as the “Poem of Earth.”
4. Describe the never ending cycle of rain.
Ans. On Earth, water rises invisibly in the form of vapour from land and sea masses. It rises,
becomes the shape of a cloud, transforms, and then descends on Earth as water droplets to
saturate the minuscule dust particles, land, and sea. Rainfall on Earth causes rivers to carry water
back to oceans and seas.
5. Why does the rain call itself ‘impalpable’?
Ans. Impalpable refers to something that cannot be sensed through touch or vision. Water cannot
be seen with the naked eye or felt when it is in the form of a mist. The vapour ascends to the sky,
condenses, and creates rain-producing clouds. We are conscious of the process, but we are unable
to see it. Because of this, the rain has the right to call itself “impalpable.”
6. What happens when it rains after a long hot spell?
Ans. Everything on Earth has dried up after a prolonged period of heat. All of the dust that has
accumulated on Earth is removed by rain, giving nature a brand-new appearance. Also, the rain
helps seeds that have been dormant up until now to germinate, leading to the growth of new trees
and plants.
7. Latent seeds get a life by rain. Explain.
Ans. Water is necessary for the seeds on Earth to germinate and grow. The seeds begin to sprout
and take on the shape of saplings when it rain In this sense, rain gives seeds a second chance at
life that might have otherwise dried up or gone to waste.
8. Why is rain essential for Earth?
Ans. Without rain, the Earth would continue to be dry, droughts will develop, and the layers of dust
won’t be washed away. The seeds of the plants and trees will perish because there won’t be
anything to quench their thirst.
9. How does the rain become the voice of Earth?
Ans. The author recounts how rain falls on Earth in the poem “The Voice of the Rain.” Also, he
questions the rain about it. He refers to raindrops as “Poem of Earth” because they breathe fresh life
into the dried-out, scorched Earth and fall in a rhythmic pattern. Essentially, it is Earth’s voice since
the soothing music created by the softly dropping raindrops is the only way the planet can express
itself.
10. Why do you think the poet says the phrase ‘reck’d or unreck’d’?
Ans. The language was poetically written. The terms “reck’d and unreck’d” refer to reckoned and
unreckoned. The terms literally mean being taken care of and not being taken care of. The poet uses
these words to emphasise how, when something falls to the ground, we can either notice it or
entirely disregard it. But, even if it isn’t given any attention, it still fulfils its purpose and goes back to
being absorbed where it came from.
11. Why are the last two lines put within brackets? (NCERT)
Ans. The poem’s final two lines are enclosed in quotes because they are not a part of the exchange
between the poet and the rain. The lines in brackets represent the poet’s reflections, observations,
and ideas. He provides observations on a song’s development and draws parallels between the rain
and a song’s life cycle.
2. Justify the title ‘The Voice of the Rain’.
Ans. The advantages of rain and its everlasting process are the themes of the entire poem. The
poet has attempted to convey the significance of rain for Earth, for plants, and for people via the
words of the rain. The entire poem is about the rain communicating with the poet as the poet
translates what the rain is saying through the rain’s native language .

LONG ANSWERS

1.. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the
similarity between the two. (NCERT)
Ans. The poem’s final two lines, which are included in quotes, highlight the comparison made
between rain and music (here referred to as “song” because every song has music linked with it).
The poet makes the observation that the life cycle of rain and a song are similar. The performer
releases the song, which spreads to other people. It wanders and finally returns to its creator with all
due respect, whether heard and loved or not. Similar to how rain comes from Earth and returns there
after serving its purpose of dispersing beauty and purity. Both have a permanent character. Also, the
sound of the gentle rain is a form of music in and of itself.

.2. Rain is an eternal process benefiting mankind. Contrast it with human life which is short
lived on this Earth. Should we disturb these eternal elements of nature?
Ans. The poem “The Voice of the Rain” brilliantly depicts the rain’s ongoing activity, which to human
ears sounds like melody since it meets our needs. It is an ongoing process that supports human life
and gives us access to food, clean air, and greenery. Our life, on the other hand, are transient. We
spend a little time here on Earth before leaving without having made any lasting impact. However,
people engage in destructive behaviours that may disrupt these timeless natural processes out of
greed and self-interest. Nature must teach us something. We must avoid upsetting the natural order
if we wish to live in harmony with one another; otherwise, the entire human race will be at risk. We
must learn a lesson from such eternal processes and do something good for humanity at large
3. 2. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you
have learnt in science. (NCERT)
Ans. In the poem, water rises to the heavens from “land and the endless sea.” It changes into hazy
cloud formations there that are structurally distinct from the water they started from. After roaming,
these clouds bring respite to the places suffering from dryness and give life to dormant and dormant
seeds by descending to Earth as rain. Rain endows the Earth with radiance and beauty. Science
teaches us about the cyclical process of rain using words like evaporation, condensation,
precipitation, flowing rivers, ground water, ocean water, etc. Yet, in the poem, the same process is
made intriguing and unusual. The rain talks for itself as it narrates its path. Thus, both what is given
in the poem and what we learn in science are similar.

SUMMERY
The voice of the rain of class 11th narrates a conversation the poet
had with the falling drops of rain and asking who are they? The reply
he got was “the poem of the earth”. After that, the downpour defines
how it in the form of vapors goes up into the clouds and falls back as
rain relieving every individual
l. Walt Whitman shares a conversation he had with the falling drops
and tells us about the cyclic creation that supports the various beings
on the earth by its freshness and regular cycle. He also compares rain
to a song born in the heart of an individual enjoying pleasures of the
life.

Central Idea of The Voice Of The Rain

The poet had a conversation with the downpour asking the rain its’s
abode. The reply he got was very surprising and the rain told him that
he cannot touch her as she rises in the form of vapors and changes its
shape but remains almost the same.

It falls back by completing a cycle and goes back by nurturing the

The rain doesn’t care if anyone pays attention to her or not but still
comes and goes back to complete her responsibility. The song is from
the heart of the p[oet and it travels across to fulfill the aim for its
birthplace.