SONG OF THE RAIN - KHALIL GIBRAN

                                                              THE  SONG OF THE RAIN - KHALIL GIBRAN

I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven

By the gods. Nature then takes me, to adorn

Her fields and valleys.

    In the first stanza, rain is comparing herself to dotted silver threads that is dropped from heaven by the Gods. The raindrops are then collected by the nature to decorate her fields, mountains, valleys etc.

 

I am beautiful pearls, plucked from the

Crown of Ishtar by the daughter of Dawn

To embellish the gardens.

  In the second stanza, rain is comparing herself to beautiful pearls that can be found on the Crown of Ishtar. The crown belongs to Ishtar - the Goddesses of fertility, rain and thunderstorm. So, the raindrops are as lustrous and beautiful like the pearls in a crown. They are very precious. The daughter of dawn  plucks these pearls or raindrops and uses them to beautify her gardens.

 

When I cry the hills laugh;

When I humble myself the flowers rejoice;

When I bow, all things are elated.

    The rain says that the mountains laugh when the rain cries. And the rain drops are being compared to tears. The mountains are laughing because heavy downpour can never cause any damage to hard rocky mountains. But flowers, plants, trees, animals all prefer when the rain is humble. Humble here represents mild rainfall. When the rain becomes mild or slow, the flowers rejoice and express their joy by moving gently in light rain. Everything in nature is happy with light showers of rain.

 

The field and the cloud are lovers

And between them I am a messenger of mercy.

I quench the thirst of one;

I cure the ailment of the other.

  In the third stanza, the rain is comparing herself to a messenger of mercy. She acts as the messenger between two lovers. The lovers are the field and the clouds. So, the rain acts as the messenger between the fields and the clouds by curing the thirst of the fields and the ailment of the clouds.

 

 

 

The voice of thunder declares my arrival;

The rainbow announces my departure.

I am like earthly life, which begins at

The feet of the mad elements and ends

Under the upraised wings of death.

 The life of rain starts from the clouds. The clouds collide with each other to form thunder. Hence, thunder declares the arrival of the rain. After the rainfall, rainbow makes its appearance to declare the departure of rain. Thus, like all other beings on earth, rain also has a birth and a death. Its birth takes place from the elements of earth and death takes place under the unpraised wings of death.

 

I emerge from the heard of the sea

Soar with the breeze. When I see a field in

Need, I descend and embrace the flowers and

The trees in a million little ways.

 I touch gently at the windows with my

Soft fingers, and my announcement is a

Welcome song. All can hear, but only

The sensitive can understand.

 In the sixth stanza we get an idea that the rain is sensitive towards others sufferings. It starts its journey from the sea and then evaporates into the wind. During its travel if the rain finds any fields suffering then she will ascend to quench its thirst. Thus, the arrival of the rain is a sensitive song that can be understood only by sensitive people.

 

The heat in the air gives birth to me,

But in turn I kill it,

As woman overcomes man with

The strength she takes from him.

 The rain talks about how the heat in the air results in the evaporation of water, which results in the formation of raindrops. But with the arrival of rainfall the heat in the air disappears and is replaced by cool air. The poet uses this situation to compare how a woman can overcome a man using the strength she gained from him.