RAIN KAZIM ALI

BY CARYS HAZEL

RAINWITH THICK STROKES OF INK THE SKY FILLS WITH RAIN.

PRETENDING TO RUN FOR COVER BUT SECRETLY PRAYING FOR MORE RAIN.

OVER THE ECHO OF THE WATER, I HEAR A VOICE SAYING MY NAME.

NO ONE IN THE CITY MOVES UNDER THE QUICK SIGHTLESS RAIN.

THE PAGES OF MY NOTEBOOK SOAK, THEN CURL. I’VE WRITTEN:

“YOGIS OPENED THEIR MOUTHS FOR HOURS TO DRINK THE RAIN.”

THE SKY IS A BOWL OF DARK WATER, RINSING YOUR FACE.

THE WINDOW TREMBLES; LIQUID GLASS COULD SHATTER INTO RAIN.

I AM A DARK BOWL, WAITING TO BE FILLED.

IF I OPEN MY MOUTH NOW, I COULD DROWN IN THE RAIN.

I HURRY HOME AS THOUGH SOMEONE IS THERE WAITING FOR ME.

THE NIGHT COLLAPSES INTO YOUR SKIN. I AM THE RAIN.

KAZIM ALI

KAZIM ALI WAS BORN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO MUSLIM PARENTS OF INDIAN DESCENT

HE IS A POET, ESSAYIST, FICTION WRITER AND TRANSLATOR

HE EMIGRATED TO CANADA WITH HIS FAMILY

HE HAS RECEIVED AN INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL

HIS POETRY HAS BEEN FEATURED IN BEST AMERICAN POETRY

POEMS SPEAKER ORGANIZATION

• THE SPEAKER IN THE POEM LIVES ALONE AND HAS FOND CHILD HOOD MEMORIES OF RAIN

• “RAIN” HAS 12 LINES AND 6 STANZAS

• ITS ORGANIZED IN SETS OF TWO SOMETIMES RHYMING LINES

• THE SPEAKER OF THE POEM USES “I” A LOT SAYING THINGS THE SPEAKER DOES, SENSES, OR REMEMBERS

IMAGERY • “THICK STROKES INK THE SKY”

• THESE IMAGES ARE OFTEN BASED ON MEMORIES THE READER HAS FROM THEIR YOUTH

• “LIQUID GLASS COULD SHATTER INTO RAIN”

• THAT ITS RAINING HARDER ALMOST SHATTERING WHEN IT LANDS

IMAGERY “QUICK SIGHTLESS RAIN”

THE “QUICK” CONTRASTS TO “NO ONE IN THE CITY MOVES”

“NIGHT COLLAPSES”

THE DARK OR NIGHT IN HIS LIFE IS BREAKING APART

LITERAL MEANING

• THE SPEAKER IS OUT SIDE IN THE RAIN

• THE SPEAKER IS A BOWL

• BUT THE SPEAKER IS ALSO RAIN

FIGURATIVE MEANING

• THAT HE WANTS SOMETHING MORE IN HIS LIFE LIKE A PURPOSE OR SOMEONE THAT CARES

POETIC TERMS

DIRECT METAPHOR

“I AM THE RAIN” AND “I AM A DARK BOWL, WAITING TO BE FILLED”

HE COMPARES HIMSELF TO BOTH THE RAIN AND DARK BOWL, WAITING TO BE FILLED

ALLUSION

“THE SKY IS A DARK BOWL OF WATER RINSING YOUR FACE”

THIS IS AN ALLUSION TO THE DAYS BEFORE RUNNING WATER THEY HAD A PITCHER AND BOWL THEY USED TO WASH THEIR FACES

REPETITION

AT THE END OF EVERY STANZA IT SAYS “RAIN” TO REINFORCE THE MAIN THEME OF THE POEM

THEME AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

• THE SPEAKER OF THE POEM IS ALONE AND THE RAIN DISTRACTS FROM HIS SOLITARY LIFE

• THE AUTHOR WROTE THIS POEM TO CONVEY HIS FEELINGS A BOUT RAIN

• THE AUTHOR ALSO WROTE THIS TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE ARE LUCKY FOR HAVING PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT THEM

WORK CITED

• HTTP://WWW.POETRYFOUNDATION.ORG/POEM/240914

• HTTP://WWW.POETRYFOUNDATION.ORG/BIO/KAZIM-ALI

• HTTP://REDSHUTTERSBLOG.COM/?S=KAZIM+ALI

• HTTP://WWW.BOOMSBEAT.COM/ARTICLES/482/20140219/LOOK-UP-NIGHT-SKY-ENJOY-STARS-PHOTOS.HTM

• HTTP://WWW.USATODAY.COM/STORY/HAPPYEVERAFTER/2013/06/28