Page 2 - CL IX CH 08-RAIN ON THE ROOF-LN2

Stanza 1
When the humid shadows hover
Over all 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: something which is full of moisture.
„shadows‟ refers to the moisture laden clouds which cast a shadow on the earth.
hover: Move around something
melancholy: sad
bliss: Happiness
patter: sound of raindrops falling on the roof.
Cottage chamber means the bedroom.

The poet is saying that when the humid shadows hover (here, ‘humid shadows’ refers to
dark clouds which are full of water). The poet is saying that when the sky is full of these
clouds which are moisture – laden (are full of water and are about to bring rain) when
such clouds hover around in the sky, over all the starry spheres (‘starry spheres’ refers to
the sky at night time which is full of stars).At that time, huge clouds which are full of
moisture, move around in the sky and the sad darkness of the night is wiped off by the
raindrops which seem like tears falling from the sky. The poet is comparing rain drops
to tears and he says that the dark sky which seems to be very sad, appears as if it is crying
and the raindrops are the tears shed by it. He adds that it is a like a blessing to lie on the
bed in his room (Cottage chamber means bedroom) and listen to the sound made by
raindrops falling on the roof.

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