Song of the Rain Meaning by Khalil Gibran

About the Poet: Kahlil Gibran was born on 6^th January 1883, in Bsharri, Lebanon. Being very poor, his learning was limited to regular visits to a village priest who taught him with the essentials of religion and the Bible, alongside the Syrian and Arabic languages.

When Gibran was eight, his father was accused of tax evasion and was sent to prison. The Ottomon authorities confiscated the Gibrans’ property and left them homeless. The strong-willed mother decided that the family should immigrate to the U.S.

They arrived in Boston in 1895. Having no formal education, Gibran was placed in an ungraded class reserved for immigrant children, who had to learn English from scratch. Gibran’s curiosity also led him to the cultural side of Boston, which exposed him to the rich world of the theatre, Opera and artistic Galleries. In 1904 Gibran had his first art exhibition in Boston. From 1908 to 1910 he studied art in Paris with August Rodin. In 1912 he settled in New York, where he devoted himself to writing and painting. Gibran’s early works were written in Arabic, and from 1918 he published mostly in English. In 1920 he founded a society for Arab writers called Mahgar. Gibran died in New York on 10^th April 1931.

About the Poem: “Song of the Rain” by Kahlil Gibran was first published as a part of the collection of poems by him entitledTears and Laughter. This collection was published in the year 1947.

Setting on the Poem: This poem is set in the arena of nature. Rain is born in the lap of nature, and it also brings much joy to nature. His entire life is spent in the same place, yet he has no regrets. He is happy to beautify Mother Nature’s garden throughout his brief existence.

Stanzawise Annotation: 

Please note: N = Noun, V = Verb, Adj = Adjective, Adv = Adverb, P = Preposition, Pr = Pronoun

1^st stanza:

Dotted (V): Past tense of the word “dot”, that is, (of a number of items) to be scattered over (an area)

Adorn (V): Make more beautiful or attractive

2^nd stanza:

Pearls (N): Plural form of the word “pearl”, that is, a hard, lustrous spherical mass, typically white or bluish-grey, formed within the shell of a pearl oyster or other bivalve mollusc and highly prized as a gem

Plucked (V): Past participle form of the word “pluck”, that is, to take hold of (something) and quickly remove it from its place

Crown (N): A circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority, usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels

Ishtar (N): The East Semitic Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex

Dawn (N): The first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise

Embellish (V): Make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features

3^rd stanza:

Humble (V): Cause (someone) to feel less important or proud

Rejoice (V): Feel or show great joy or delight

Bow (V): Bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame

Elated (V): Past tense of the word “elate”, that is, to make (someone) ecstatically happy

4^th stanza:

Messenger (N): A person who carries a message or is employed to carry messages

Mercy (N): Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm

Quench (V): Satisfy (one’s thirst) by drinking

Cure (V): Relieve (a person or animal) of the symptoms of a disease or condition

Ailment (N): An illness, typically a minor one

5^th stanza:

Declares (V): Third person present tense of the word “declare”, that is, to say something in a solemn and emphatic manner

Arrival (N): The action or process of reaching a place at the end of a journey or a stage in a journey

Announces (V): Third person present tense of the word “announce”, that is, to

Departure (N): The action of leaving, especially to start a journey

Earthly (Adj): Relating to the earth or human life

Elements (N): Plural form of the word “element”, that is, any of the four substances (earth, water, air, and fire) regarded as the fundamental constituents of the world in ancient and medieval philosophy

Upraised (V): Past participle form of the word “upraise”, that is, to raise (something) to a higher level

6^th stanza:

Emerge (V): Move out of or away from something and become visible

Soar (V): Fly or rise high in the air

Descend (V): Move or fall downwards

Embrace (V): Hold (someone) closely in one’s arms, especially as a sign of affection

7^th stanza:

Announcement (N): A formal public statement about a fact, occurrence, or intention

Welcome (Adj): (Of a guest or new arrival) gladly received

Sensitive (Adj): Having or displaying a quick and delicate appreciation of others’ feelings

8^th stanza:

Overcomes (V): Third person present tense of the word “overcome”, that is, to defeat (an opponent)

9^th stanza:

Sigh (N): A long, deep audible exhalation expressing sadness, relief, tiredness, or similar

10^th stanza:

Affection (N): A gentle feeling of fondness or liking

Spirit (N): The non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul

Suggested Reading: Summary of Song of the Rain by Khalil Gibran in Hindi

Detailed Analysis: We have considered your feedback and did a detailed analysis of quite a few poems at Beamingnotes. Luckily, the poem you’re reading now, Song of the Rain does have a detailed analysis. This will help you understand the poem in great dept and help you score good! Here are the following links- For detailed summary: Summary of Song of the Rain ; For complete annotations: Song of the Rain Meaning ; For detailed critical analysis: Critical Analysis of Song of the Rain ; For theme, tone, central idea of the poem: Tone and Central Idea of Song of the Rain and for suggested solved questions:  Solved Question and Answers from Song of the Rain.