Coates kinney

Coates Kinney (1826–1904) was an American lawyer, politician, journalist, and poet. He is best known for his lyrical poem "Rain on the Roof," which remains popular today and is frequently anthologized in collections of American poetry. Born near Penn Yan, New York, Kinney worked as a journalist for various papers in Cincinnati, Xenia, and Springfield, Illinois. His notable works include "Keeuka" (1855) and "Lyrics of the Ideal and the Real" (1888).

Summary

In this poem, the poet says that when the humid shadows drift (here, ‘humid shadows’ means dark clouds full of water). He says that when the sky is full of dark clouds which have moisture, and are full of water and are about to bring rain. Further, when these clouds float around the sky over the starry spheres (refers to the sky at night time that is full of stars).

Then, huge clouds that are full of moisture move around in the sky. And the raindrops that seem like a tear falling from the sky wipe the sad darkness of the night. Moreover, the poet is comparing the raindrops to tears as to him the dark sky seems very sad. Also, it appears as if it is weeping and the raindrops are the tears shed by it. He further adds that it is like a blessing to lie on the bed in his room. And listen to the sound made by raindrops falling on the roof.

In the next part, the poet expresses his feelings when he hears the raindrops falling on the roof of his house. Poet says that every tinkle on the shingles has an echo in the heart. Whenever he hears raindrops falling on the rooftop its sound repeats in his heart and in his dreams. Further, he has many different and fantastic imaginations. Also, the falling drops of rain on the rooftops creates many new different dreams in his mind. For instance, he recollects many memories of the past which come back into his mind as dreams. Hence, he listens to the patter of the rain upon the roof, he has many new dreams in his mind. And his memories of the past come back in the form of dreams.

In the last paragraph, the poet introduces his mother and says that he is dreaming of his mother. As in the previous stanza that rain brings memories of the past. They were the memory of his mother who is no longer alive. Long ago, his mother uses to love him a lot and she uses to consider him a darling. Also, she would let him sleep until daybreak and have sweet dreams. As he listens to the song made by the raindrops falling on the rooftop of his room he feels that his mother is looking at him. Moreover, the sound of rain makes him correlate his past with his present. That’s the reason he was so moved by the sound of the raindrops on the shingles of his room. Every time he hears this sound it brings back memories of the past as he reminds of his mother. Toppr

Poem

When the humid shadows hover Overall the starry spheres And the melancholy darkness Gently weeps in rainy tears, What a bliss to press the pillow Of a cottage-chamber bed And lie listening to the patter Of the soft rain overhead!

• humid - full of water
• hover - move around
• starry sphere - at the night
• melancholy - sad
• bliss - happiness
• patter - sound made by falling on roof Every tinkle on the shingles Has an echo in the heart; And a thousand dreamy fancies Into busy being start, And a thousand recollections Weave their air-threads into woof, As I listen to the patter Of the rain upon the roof.
• tinkle - light ringing sound
• shingles - rectangular wooden tiles on the roof
• fancy - desire
• woof - weft, thread woven across the loom

Now in memory comes my mother, As she used in years agone, To regard the darling dreamers Ere she left them till the dawn: O! I feel her fond look on me As I list to this refrain Which is played upon the shingles By the patter of the rain.

• ere - old poetic word for before
• list - old poetic word for listen
• agone - long before Success Cds