Poems about rain capture the essence of this natural phenomenon in lyrical language. They evoke emotions, from tranquility to melancholy, as rain is often seen as a symbol of renewal or sorrow.
These verses may celebrate the beauty of the rain on the earth, the scent of wet soil, and the sense of comfort it brings. Rain poems can also explore their metaphorical significance, representing cleansing, rebirth, or the passing of time.
‘The Rainy Day’ by Longfellow delves into despair, yet concludes with hope: behind every storm, the sun still shines.
While this isn’t one of Longfellow’s best-known or most loved poems, it is certainly powerful and one of the best about rain. Following a consistent rhyme scheme, the three stanzas of ‘The Rainy Day’ depict rain and the dark, drab misery it can bring with it. The first stanza describes the outward state of the world, the second the internal state of the poet, and the third transitions to the speaker’s attempts to improve his own mood.
‘After Rain’ describes the impact of extreme heat on a townat the end of a rainstorm, and the different ways that people and animal react.
The poem is focused on the region of the Sahel in Africa. The rain has ceased and now a depressive heat has descended on the town. Bugs have come out in droves and are endlessly flying around and stinging everything in sight. All who live in this area dream of an escape to a cooler a paradise where it will not feel as if their head is on fire.
‘A drop fell on the apple tree’ by Emily Dickinson is filled with joy. It describes, with Dickinson’s classic skill, images of the summer season and how a storm can influence it.
The poem contains some of the most mesmerising descriptions of rain ever written. The detail paid to a single drop, using her iconic imagery, marks this poem out as one of the finest on the subject. The comparison to the precious stones found in necklaces emphasises her view that we all ought to pay more respect to rainfall.
‘Rain’ by Stevenson muses on rain’s universal sweep, touching fields, trees, and seas, evoking a contemplative mood.
‘Rain’ was written with a younger audience in mind, as much of Stevenson’s poetry was. The poem is only four lines long and describes the all-encompassing nature of rain. It falls everywhere, on everyone. It is “falling all around,” the first line begins. The rain touches the field and tree, as well as “umbrellas here” and “ships at sea”.
Sandburg’s ‘Horses and Men in the Rain’ weaves the contrasting cozy present reflections with the harsh past of laborers and knights.
Rain is one of the most prominent images in this poem. It is depicted through a series of images that show the normal lives of those who appear to be less fortunate than the speaker and the listener. These are hardworking men and boys who cannot sit by the fire and wear dry clothes. The poet also takes there reader to the past where men walk in the rain on the ancient Silk Road.
Let us sit by a hissing steam radiator a winter's day, gray wind pattering frozen raindrops on the window,
And let us talk about milk wagon drivers and grocery delivery boys.
‘Rain on the Roof’ by Coates Kinney is a fairly simple yet beautifully memorable depiction of the way that rain can evoke memories.
Rain is the central topic in this poem. The poet focuses on the power the sound of rain can have and how it has the ability to bring him to a state of bliss. When listening to the sound of rain, many powerful memories from his past come to mind.
‘We Ain’t Got No Money, Honey, But We Got Rain’ by Charles Bukowski vividly portrays the chaotic Depression era with unfiltered realism.
This poem poignantly addresses the topic of rain as a metaphor for hardship during the Depression era. The relentless rain symbolizes societal and personal struggles, emphasizing the challenging times. The vivid imagery of pounding rain, waterfalls, and hail becomes a powerful representation of the adversities faced by individuals in a tumultuous historical period.
Ali’s ‘Rain’ captures a spiritual connection with a storm, blending metaphors and epistrophe to depict rain’s transformative power.
The speaker describes a rainstorm and the impact the scene had on one person and his perception of the world. The speaker begins by describing the sky as ink-filled. The dark clouds gathered and people began running for cover. Despite this fact and the rational-seeming choice to hide out until the storm passes, he feels a connection to the rain.
With thick strokes of ink the sky fills with rain.
Pretending to run for cover but secretly praying for more rain.
Edith Sitwell’s ‘Still Falls the Rain’ juxtaposes London’s Blitz with Christ’s suffering, a poignant allegory of faith amidst chaos.
‘Still Falls the Rain’ is one of Sitwell’s best-known poems. There is a strong focus on religious imagery. The rain is dark “black as our loss” and is beating on the world with a sound that is “like the pulse of the heart”. The rain falls on the “Tomb” on the feet of the “Starved Man upon the Cross”.
‘Rain’ by Don Paterson describes the way that rain acts as an equalizing force capable of washing away one’s concern for the past.
The speaker expresses a love for rain-focused films in the first lines of the poem. The opening shot of a film, if it focuses on rain, is entrancing to him. In the final lines of the poem, it becomes clear that the references to film and rain also relate to life in general. The speaker is using rain as a way to remove the damage of previous experiences and return to a purer state of being. The “ink, the milk, — the blood,” it is all forgotten.
I love all films that start with rain: rain, braiding a windowpane or darkening a hung-out dress or streaming down her upturned face;
‘Kinsale’ is a short but powerful poetic rendering of the titular port twon which explores themes of hope and optimism.
Rain is often symbolic of renewal, cleansing, and change. In Kinsale, Mahon embraces rain as a gentle, life-giving force rather than something gloomy. It contributes to the poem’s theme of optimism, suggesting that even rain brings beauty and renewal.
Bishop’s ‘Song for the Rainy Season’ captures a home’s quiet, lush life amid the rain, hinting at nature’s transient beauty.
In this poem, the speaker begins with a complex and stereotypically “Elizabeth Bishop” depiction of a house. She addresses the listener through short lines. These make the poem a quick read but also allow each word to have as much impact as possible. Throughout the stanzas, she celebrates the natural imagery around her and the utter liveliness of living forces. The rain is described powerfully. It is a force capable of giving and taking away life.
‘Rain’ finds a soldier in World War One reckoning with the belief that isolation and death are each an inescapable part of human existence.
Rain is one of the core topics found in this poem by Thomas, as it is both a literal presence and a significant symbol closely tied to the overarching themes. It is also the most repeated word in the poem and although it is never truly described, that ceaseless repetition illustrates its overbearing presence, flooding the speaker's mind with dreary thoughts of death. The only real descriptors shared are "wild" and "cold," both of which imbue it with a ferocity and temperature that is far from temperate.
Kilmer’s ‘Trees’ marvels at nature’s beauty, declaring trees as divine art surpassing human creation, in simple yet profound couplets.
Rain symbolizes nourishment and connection in ‘Trees’, as Kilmer writes that the tree ‘intimately lives with rain.’ This imagery reflects nature’s harmonious reliance on the elements, reinforcing the tree’s spiritual and earthly role. By highlighting rain’s essential presence, Kilmer portrays it as a sustaining force in the natural and divine cycles of life.
‘Dark house, by which once more I stand’ is an excerpt of an elegy that grieves over the lost company and the empty home of a dead friend.
The persistent rain in the poem symbolizes the speaker’s sorrow and desolation. Its “ghastly” presence mirrors the emotional weight of grief, blurring the boundaries between memory and reality. The drizzling rain adds to the bleak atmosphere, emphasizing the loneliness and relentless melancholy that envelop the speaker in mourning.
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