Question 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” refers to the dark clouds that produce rain.
(ii) “Starry spheres” refers to the night sky abounding in stars.
(iii) “What a bliss” refers to the happiness of the poet. When it rains the poet gets into his cottage and enjoys the patter of rain upon the roof.
(iv) This refers to the various imaginary thoughts and fantasies that are aroused in the poet’s mind.
(v) This phrase means that numerous memories intermingle to form a beautiful picture that the poet recollects.

Question 2.
What does the poet like to do when it rains?
Answer:
When it rains, the poet feels delighted to lie with his head pressed against the pillow of his cottage chamber bed and listen to the patter of the soft rain.

Question 3.
What is the single major memory that comes to the poet? Who are the “darling dreamers” he refers to?
Answer:
The single major memory that comes to the poet is that of his mother and her fond look. The “darling dreamers” are the poet and his siblings in their childhood when they were lovingly put to sleep by their mother.

Question 4.
Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?
Answer:
No, the poet is not a child now. He is a grown up man. He remembers his mother when he is inside his cosy cottage enjoying the patter of rain on the roof.

II.
Question 1.
When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the poet’s did?
Answer:
Yes, my mother used to tuck me in when I was a young child.

Question 2.
Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the poem?
Answer:
Yes, I like the rain. When it rains steadily I get into my house enjoy the weather with my family.

Question 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 does not have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains. Not everybody gets to enjoy the comfort of cosy homes during rain. There are human beings and animals seeking shelter under trees and the tin roofs of the small roadside tea stalls.

The people passing by shoo away these animals and try to shrink themselves under the limited space of these shops. The poor animals are left drench and shivering on the roads. The shopkeepers of such stalls are delighted as the people waiting for the rain to subside often end up buying tea and snacks.