Extension by: Valbona Gacaferi
Cami Laesch
Rain: Edward Thomas
The first thing that I noticed about this poem is how often the author says the word ‘rain’ itself. I started to question why he might have done that, but then I started to think about the nature of rain. Sometimes rain is annoying and will not let up, so this repetitive use of the word is to symbolize the constant downpour that is happening in the mist of this situation. Thomas wrote is poem while he was in the trenches at war in a small hut, and it is obvious that this was a time where he reflected about death: “Has not dissolved except the love of death, If love it be for what is perfect and Cannot, the tempest tells me, disappoint.” It is obvious by this line that he is in a point of isolation and depression and can see the pros and cons his death would have for him in this state of misery.
Extension:
To go off of what Cami said, I think Thomas wrote about rain in a very poetic way. Using rain as a symbol for becoming clean and purifying someone’s soul. For example the line, “Blessed are the dead that the rain rains upon.” From this line I took it as Thomas seeing the dead as being lucky. Because of how they are buried in the ground, and when it rains the rain rinses their graves. Cleaning their souls, over and over again. Although he sees the dead as being lucky/blessed because they are able to escape the horror that comes with everyday life, he glorifies death but wishes that none of his loved ones die. Seeing the rain as a blessing rather than a nuisance, the rain cleaning everyone’s souls and washing away all the bad that has happened to everyone and everything. Thomas is stuck between glorifying death but at the same time not wishing death upon anyone. But overall death and rain play a big part in this poem and the meaning Thomas is trying to get across to the readers.