Looking For The Least Of Rain Analysis

Beginning with the title any reader can immediately jump to conclusions on the theme or setting of this poem. Heaven, in many instances, has been referred to as other-worldly, or in this case: the stars. This title instantly grabs the attention of the reader and begins to lay the foundation of the setting. Later, in the second line of the poem the writer establishes that he is on “the ranch house porch” and then in the eleventh line he uses the word “adobe”. When the reader understands that adobe is a type of brick used in western culture for many structures and buildings, they can draw the conclusion that the writer is on a ranch in a western part of the United States, probably in the desert. From there the reader can imagine the setting. As I read this poem and imagine the setting: an average ranch house, made of adobe, with a large porch cluttered with some cheap green lawn chairs facing the fields. I can see the tumbleweeds and dirt surrounding the

The setting is beautifully described by the author. A basic understanding of crops gives readers the knowledge that to survive they need water. This is evident throughout the poem as the writer says things like “looking for the least sign of rain” and “...stars where clouds should be”. Obviously the writer is longingly searching for rain, something that is scarce in the desert, but needed for the crops. You can imagine the disappointment of the writer when they see that, instead of the clouds they wish were in the night sky, they only find the light from the stars. Eventually the writer gives up, “We give up on lightning, turn to lean our chairs edge up to adobe, done for the night…”. They retire for the night, most likely in a disappointed manner, as another day passes without even a sign of rain. In between the lines of this poem, and through symbolism, you can find more than just a sad story about the lack of rain. In the very first stanza the author compares light and