A poem written by Christina Rossetti which is exemplary of her continued questioning of sexuality. On its surface, the poem seems merely a celebration of a winter rain. Transcending this reading, “Winter Rain” is a poem of underlying connections between the sexes in the propagation of life. The poem uses metaphoric imagery that is symbolic of human sexuality at deeper levels. The intent of Rossetti’s work is encoded in prominently gender-related natural imagery, a repeated theme within her larger body of work. In this poem, the coldness of winter snow is replaced by a transitory ‘winter rain’. This rain marks the end of winter’s barrenness and the beginning of spring’s fertility.
“Winter Rain” defines sexual relationships in nature and their interdependence. The poem's speaker is an observer of this working of nature. The rain triggers the memory of springs past and rewards the patience of winter. Through natural metaphor winter rain becomes the key to unlocking the birth of new life in Spring.