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1. Introduction

"Vocation" is a gentle and thoughtful poem by Rabindranath Tagore, included in the NCERT Honeysuckle textbook for Class 6. The poem is spoken by a small child who watches people working in the streets and wishes he could trade his own life for theirs. Every working person the child sees seems to have a freer, happier life, while the child feels bound by rules, studies and the constant care of adults.

The poem is divided into three parts, each about a different person. In the morning, the child sees a hawker crying out his wares and wishes he could be a hawker, roaming the streets without a care. In the afternoon, a watchman walks lazily through the lane, and the child wishes he could be the watchman, free to stroll in the dark. At night, a gardener works in his garden, and the child wishes he could dig and play in the earth all day.

Through these simple wishes, the poem captures a child's innocent misunderstanding of adult life. The child believes the hawker, watchman and gardener are free, not realising that they work hard and long. The poem is a warm reflection on childhood imagination, freedom and the longing to escape the rules of growing up.

2. About the Poet

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a towering figure of Indian literature, a poet, writer, philosopher and the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. He wrote the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh, 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'Amar Shonar Bangla'. His poems, including those in 'Gitanjali', are loved for their beauty and depth. 'Vocation' is a simple, touching poem about childhood, written in his gentle and imaginative style.

3. Summary of the Poem

The poem begins with the child's complaint that the school bell rings in the morning, and the child must go to school. But on the way, the child sees a hawker, a vendor crying out his goods in the street. The hawker moves from lane to lane, free to go anywhere. The child wishes that instead of going to school, he could be the hawker, spending his days wandering and calling out his wares.

Later, in the afternoon, the child sees a watchman. The watchman walks slowly through the lane in the heat, carrying his lantern. The child thinks the watchman has a wonderful life, because he can stroll up and down freely while the child must stay at home and study. The child wishes he could be the watchman and walk through the dark lane all night.

Finally, the child looks at a gardener who is digging the ground with his spade. The gardener seems to be playing with the earth, and nobody scolds him for getting dirty. The child wishes he could be the gardener, digging and playing in the garden all day without anyone telling him to come inside.

The poem ends with the child's wistful conclusion: everyone else seems to have a free and happy life, while the child must follow rules and study. The child does not yet understand that the hawker, watchman and gardener also work hard. The poem is a lovely expression of a child's innocent desire for freedom.

4. Stanza-wise Summary

  1. First Stanza: The child sees a hawker in the morning and wishes to be free like him.
  2. Second Stanza: In the afternoon, the child sees a watchman and wishes for his freedom.
  3. Third Stanza: The child watches a gardener at work and wishes to play in the earth like him.
  4. Fourth Stanza: The child longs for freedom, not yet understanding the hard work of these people.

5. Theme and Moral

The theme of the poem is a child's innocent longing for freedom and the misunderstanding of adult life. The child sees the hawker, watchman and gardener as free and happy, not realising that their lives are full of hard work. The moral is that every vocation has its own difficulties, and that being a child, with love and care around us, is itself a precious time of life. The poem also teaches us to respect all kinds of work.

6. Literary Devices

  1. Repetition: The child repeats 'I wish I were...' to express his longing for different vocations.
  2. Contrast: The child's life of rules is contrasted with the imagined freedom of working people.
  3. Imagery: Vivid pictures of the hawker, the watchman with his lantern, and the gardener are created.
  4. Personification: The child's wishes are given a voice throughout the poem.
  5. First-person Voice: The child's point of view makes the poem simple and touching.
  6. Irony: The child thinks these workers are free, though they actually work hard.

Quick Revision Tables

Table 1: The Three Vocations

Person Seen When Why the Child Envies Them
Hawker Morning Roams the streets freely
Watchman Afternoon Strolls in the lane freely
Gardener Later Plays with the earth freely

Table 2: Child versus Workers

The Child The Workers
Must go to school Hawker cries wares freely
Must study at home Watchman walks in the lane
Is scolded for dirt Gardener plays with earth
Follows many rules Seem free and happy

Mind Map

flowchart TD A["Vocation - poem by Rabindranath Tagore"] --> B["Child sees a hawker in the morning"] B --> C["Wishes to be a free hawker"] A --> D["Child sees a watchman in the afternoon"] D --> E["Wishes to be a free watchman"] A --> F["Child sees a gardener at work"] F --> G["Wishes to be a free gardener"] C --> H["The child longs for freedom"] E --> H G --> H H --> I["Child does not know how hard they work"]

Important Diagrams (SVG)

Diagram 1: The Child's Wishes

The Child's Vocation Wishes The Hawker Seen in the morning Roams the streets freely The Watchman Seen in the afternoon Walks with his lantern The Gardener Works with his spade Plays with the earth Why the Child Envies Them - The hawker has no school bell to obey - The watchman walks freely through the lane - The gardener is never scolded for dirt - The child must follow rules and study The Truth the Child Does Not See Hawkers, watchmen and gardeners all work very hard; their freedom is only in the child's imagination. Golden Rule: Every job has its own hard work; respect all workers.

Diagram 2: Freedom in the Child's Eyes

Freedom in the Child's Eyes The Childlongs for freedom Hawkerfree streets Watchmanfree lane at night Gardenerfree in the garden The Poem's Gentle Message - Childhood imagination turns work into freedom - Every vocation is dignified and deserves respect - Childhood itself is a precious time of life Golden Rule: Value your own blessings while you dream of others' lives.

Common Mistakes

  1. Students often think the poem criticises work; it actually respects all vocations.
  2. Some believe the child really wanted to work; the child only imagines these lives out of longing for freedom.
  3. Learners may confuse the watchman's time; the child sees the watchman walking in the afternoon.
  4. It is wrong to say the gardener is lazy; the gardener is working hard, though the child sees it as play.
  5. Some forget the poet, Rabindranath Tagore, India's Nobel laureate.
  6. Students often miss the irony that the workers the child envies are themselves hard-working.

Exam Tips

  1. Remember the poet, Rabindranath Tagore, and his gentle, musical style.
  2. List the three people the child sees: hawker, watchman and gardener.
  3. Explain why the child envies each of them.
  4. Mention the irony that these workers actually work hard.
  5. State the moral: respect all kinds of work and value childhood.
  6. Practise quoting the child's repeated wish, 'I wish I were...'

Conclusion

"Vocation" by Rabindranath Tagore is a tender portrait of childhood imagination and the innocent longing for freedom. The child sees the hawker, the watchman and the gardener and wishes for their simple, carefree lives, unaware of the hard work behind each vocation. The poem gently reminds us that every job is dignified, that grass is not always greener on the other side, and that childhood itself is a golden time to be cherished. Through its simple words, the poem leaves a lasting message about gratitude and respect for all kinds of work.