This poem was written by Langston Hughes as a gift to his friend Lorraine Hansberry after she was diagnosed with cancer. The poem uses imagery of nature renewing itself in the spring rain to symbolize the renewal of life and hope after hardship. It describes how silver rain allows new green grasses and flowers to grow, butterflies to lift their wings to catch rainbows, and trees to put forth new leaves and children to sing joyfully down the road - suggesting both nature and humanity finding new life and joy after a difficult time.

2. In Time of Silver Rain
- Langston Hughes

3. Hughes is a Afro-American writer. He wrote this
poem for his good friend, Lorraine Hansberry,
when he learned that she had been diagnosed
with cancer. In this poem, he describes how rain
brings joy and life. It suggest that there is life
after death.
Langston Hughes

4. In Time of Silver Rain
In time of silver rain
The earth puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spreads
Of Life,
Of Life,
Of life!
In time of silver rain
The butterflies lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,
And trees put forth new leaves to sing
In joy beneath the sky
As down the roadway
Passing boys and girls
Go singing, too,
In time of silver rain When spring
And life
Are new.

5. In time of silver rain
The earth
Puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flower lift their heads,
And over all the plain

6. Video of flowers lifting their heads

7. Q.01 : Who puts forth new life again?
Q.02 : Identify the line from the stanza where a
non-living thing is given human quality.
Q.03 : Pick out the rhyming words from the two
stanza.
Q.04 : Pick out the noun phrases.

8.  The Earth puts forth new life again

9. Lines where non living things are given
human qualities :
 Earth puts forth new life
 Flowers lift their heads

10. Rhyming words:
 Rain-again

11. Noun Phrase:
 Silver rain
 Green grasses

12. After world war II America was helping
rebuilt Europe.

13. Summary:
 This poem was published around 1997, after world
war-II.
 “Silver” rain symbolizes bullets during or after world
war-II.
 “new life” refers to the life which feels new after the
war when peace is spread throughout the world.
 The voice also connects the ending of the event to the
feeling of the whole world.
 The depression that once held the people of the world
hostage was over.
 sadness was replaced with joy and hope.

14. The wonder spreads
Of life,
Of life,
Of life!

15. Q.01 What spreads all over the plain?
Q.02 Which words are repeated in the third stanza?

16.  Wonder spreads of life all over the plain.

17. Repetition:
Of life,
Of life,
Of life!

18. Summary:
 These lines symbolize joy and happiness all over the
world
 Families all over the world rejoice although some lost
family members in the war.

19. In time of silver rain
The butterflies
Lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,

20. Q.01 : What does the butterflies do?
Q.02 : Identify the line from the stanza where
elements of nature is given human quality.
Q.03 : Pick out a noun phrase from the fourth stanza.

21.  The butterflies lift their silken wings.

22. Lines where non living things are given human
qualities
 To catch a rainbow cry.

23. Noun phrase:
 Silken wings.

24. Summary:
 The silver rain indicates the spread of new life.
 The poet here is showing the belief or excitement of
new life. Not only in nature but also in the spirits.
 The rainbows don’t have feelings, therefore can’t cry.
But the butterflies can lift their wings to catch
raindrops.

25. Bibliography
 https://allpoetry.com/In-Time-Of-Silver-Rain
 https://beamingnotes.com
 https://youtube.be/CaCrsflAy6c
 https://youtu.be/ryUxrFUk6MY
 https://www.enotes.com › Homework Help › Langston
Hughes
 https://prezi.com/jag1bvfofo20/in-time-of-silver-rain/