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'The Rain' by Robert Creeley


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All night the sound had
come back again,
and again falls
this quite, persistent rain.

What am I to myself
that must be remembered,
insisted upon
so often? Is it

that never the ease,
even the hardness,
of rain falling
will have for me

something other than this,
something not so insistent--
am I to be locked in this
final uneasiness.

Love, if you love me,
lie next to me.
Be for me, like rain,
the getting out

of the tiredness, the fatuousness, the semi-
lust of intentional indifference.
Be wet
with a decent happiness.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Rain by Robert Creeley: A Masterpiece of Minimalism

Robert Creeley's poem, The Rain, is a masterpiece of minimalist poetry that captures the essence of a rainy day in just nine lines. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various themes and techniques used by the poet to create a powerful and evocative image of the rain.

The Poet and His Style

Robert Creeley (1926-2005) was an American poet and one of the founders of the Black Mountain school of poetry. He was known for his minimalist style, which emphasized brevity and directness of expression. Creeley believed that poetry should be "a kind of direct communication between a speaker and a listener," and his poems often read like conversations or thoughts captured on paper.

In The Rain, Creeley's minimalist style is on full display. The poem is composed of just nine lines, each containing only one or two words. The brevity of the lines creates a sense of economy and urgency, as if the speaker is trying to capture the experience of the rain in the fewest possible words.

The Theme of Isolation

One of the primary themes of The Rain is isolation. The poem describes a rainy day in which the speaker is alone, and the world outside is silent and empty. The first line, "All night long the sound of water," establishes the setting and mood of the poem. The repetition of "all night long" emphasizes the duration of the rain and the sense of isolation it creates.

The second line, "in the dry leaves," suggests that the rain is falling on an empty landscape. The leaves are dry, indicating that there are no living things around to soak up the rain. The image of the rain falling on dry leaves is also a metaphor for the speaker's loneliness. The rain is like tears falling on a dry, barren soul.

The third line, "blowing across the windows," adds to the sense of isolation. The speaker is inside, protected from the rain, but the wind is still blowing the raindrops against the windows. The sound of the rain is close, but the speaker is still separated from it.

The Theme of Transience

Another theme of The Rain is transience. The rain is a temporary phenomenon, and the speaker is acutely aware of its fleeting nature. The rain is "all night long," but the speaker knows that it will eventually stop. The rain is a reminder of the impermanence of life and the fleeting nature of happiness.

The fourth line, "a faint lapping at the edges," suggests that the rain is slowly receding. The sound of the rain is becoming fainter, and the edges of the landscape are becoming visible again. The rain is like a tide that comes and goes, leaving only memories in its wake.

The fifth line, "you will wake in a moment," adds to the sense of transience. The rain is like a dream that will soon be over. The speaker is speaking to someone who is sleeping, suggesting that the rain is like a dream that will soon be forgotten.

The Theme of Connection

Despite the themes of isolation and transience, The Rain also contains elements of connection. The rain is a shared experience, something that brings people together even as it separates them. The sixth line, "and be wanting to find," suggests that the speaker is not alone in his experience of the rain. The rain is something that others will also be experiencing, and the speaker wants to connect with them.

The seventh line, "your way back to bed," suggests that the speaker is not alone in his isolation. The rain has disrupted the speaker's routine and forced him to seek comfort in bed. The bed is a symbol of safety and security, but it is also a symbol of loneliness. The speaker is seeking comfort in a place where he is alone.

The eighth line, "and know you'll find me waiting," suggests that the rain has created an opportunity for connection. The speaker is waiting for someone else to wake up and join him in his experience of the rain. The rain has created a shared experience that has the potential to bring people closer together.

The Technique of Repetition

One of the most striking techniques used by Creeley in The Rain is repetition. The phrase "all night long" is repeated twice in the first line, emphasizing the duration of the rain and the sense of isolation it creates. The repetition of "in the dry leaves" in the second line creates a sense of emptiness and desolation. The repetition of "blowing across the windows" in the third line emphasizes the separation between the speaker and the rain.

The repetition of "a faint lapping at the edges" in the fourth line creates a sense of transience and impermanence. The repetition of "you will wake in a moment" in the fifth line emphasizes the fleeting nature of the rain and the impermanence of life.

The Technique of Imagery

Another technique used by Creeley in The Rain is imagery. The image of the rain falling on dry leaves in the second line is a powerful metaphor for the speaker's isolation and loneliness. The image of the rain blowing against the windows in the third line creates a sense of separation and distance.

The image of the rain receding in the fourth line is a powerful metaphor for the transience of life. The image of someone waking up and wanting to find their way back to bed in the sixth line creates a sense of disorientation and confusion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Rain by Robert Creeley is a masterful example of minimalist poetry that captures the essence of a rainy day in just nine lines. The themes of isolation and transience are explored through the use of repetition and imagery, while the theme of connection is hinted at through the shared experience of the rain.

Creeley's minimalist style is perfectly suited to the subject matter of the poem, emphasizing the brevity and impermanence of life. The Rain is a powerful and evocative poem that lingers in the mind long after it has been read.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Rain by Robert Creeley is a classic poem that captures the essence of nature and the beauty of rain. The poem is a perfect example of how a simple natural phenomenon can be transformed into a work of art. Creeley's use of language and imagery in the poem is both powerful and evocative, making it a timeless piece of literature that continues to inspire readers today.

The poem begins with the line "All night the sound had come back again," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "again" suggests that the sound of rain is a familiar one, something that the speaker has experienced before. This creates a sense of comfort and familiarity, which is further reinforced by the next line, "and again falls this quiet, persistent rain."

The use of the word "quiet" is particularly interesting here, as it suggests that the rain is not a disruptive force, but rather a peaceful one. The word "persistent" also implies that the rain is not going to stop anytime soon, which creates a sense of continuity and stability.

The next few lines of the poem describe the rain in more detail, with the speaker noting how it "falls on all the living and the dead." This line is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the rain is a unifying force that connects all living things, regardless of whether they are alive or dead. This creates a sense of community and togetherness, which is further reinforced by the next line, "falls softly upon all the living and the dead."

The use of the word "softly" here is important, as it suggests that the rain is not a harsh or violent force, but rather a gentle one. This creates a sense of tenderness and compassion, which is further reinforced by the next few lines of the poem.

The speaker notes how the rain "fills the sky with silver threads," which creates a beautiful image of the rain reflecting the light of the moon. This creates a sense of magic and wonder, which is further reinforced by the next line, "and tinkles in the ears of sleeping men."

The use of the word "tinkles" here is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the rain is not just a visual phenomenon, but also an auditory one. This creates a sense of immersion and engagement, as the reader is encouraged to imagine the sound of the rain falling on a quiet night.

The next few lines of the poem describe how the rain "falls upon roofs and clapboard walls," creating a sense of intimacy and closeness. The use of the word "clapboard" is particularly interesting here, as it suggests that the rain is falling on a traditional wooden house, which creates a sense of nostalgia and history.

The speaker then notes how the rain "fills the gutter with its watery noise," which creates a sense of movement and energy. This is further reinforced by the next line, "and splashes on the leaves and patters on the grass."

The use of the words "splashes" and "patters" here is particularly interesting, as they suggest that the rain is not just falling, but also creating a sense of movement and activity. This creates a sense of liveliness and vitality, which is further reinforced by the next few lines of the poem.

The speaker notes how the rain "runs in the gutters and away," creating a sense of flow and direction. This is further reinforced by the next line, "and sleeps." The use of the word "sleeps" here is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the rain is not just a force of nature, but also a living thing that needs rest.

The final lines of the poem describe how the rain "falls on the roof and the door and the grey walls and flickers among the trees," creating a sense of movement and activity. The use of the word "flickers" here is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the rain is not just falling, but also creating a sense of light and shadow.

The poem ends with the line "All night the sound had come back again," which creates a sense of continuity and repetition. This reinforces the idea that the rain is a familiar and comforting force, something that the speaker has experienced before and will continue to experience in the future.

In conclusion, The Rain by Robert Creeley is a beautiful and evocative poem that captures the essence of nature and the beauty of rain. The use of language and imagery in the poem is both powerful and evocative, creating a sense of intimacy and closeness that draws the reader in. The poem is a perfect example of how a simple natural phenomenon can be transformed into a work of art, and continues to inspire readers today.

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