Rain In My Eyes — Summary

When I awake in the morning, Whether the skies be clear or clouded, A smile comes across my face, As I hope to be a ray of sunshine to others, Helping an elderly woman with groceries, A blind man reach his destination, A friend in need, A child find his parents, Never expecting the kind gestures, Speech minimal in response, Uncertain of what to do, The lone word emanating from their mouths is thanks, Not expecting anything in return, I still cling to hope, That another voluntarily does similar for me, Reaching out without my asking, I look back for help, But find no one, All looking after themselves, As I stand alone, I walk the streets with my head sunken, The clouds plentiful and ominous, A few sprinkles are then felt, Before a pouring rain comes crashing down, I gaze up at the sky, Looking for that ray of sunshine, My eyes begin to burn from the downpour, Coalescing with the tears in my eyes.

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The speaker wakes up every day determined to be a "ray of sunshine," and the poem lists the small kindnesses that follow: carrying groceries for an elderly woman, guiding a blind man, helping a friend, reuniting a lost child with his parents. The people he helps barely respond, just a quiet "thanks." He doesn't ask for more, yet he quietly hopes someone might one day help him without being asked.

That hope runs into silence. When he looks back for help, he finds everyone busy with themselves, and he is left alone. The weather then mirrors his mood: heavy clouds gather, and rain pours down. He looks up for the sunshine he tries to be for others, but none appears. The final line blurs rain and tears so that we can't tell them apart. The mood is gentle but lonely, a quiet ache about giving freely and receiving nothing back.

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