Class 5 English - MAHARASHTRA

Poetry: Vocation

The chapter 'Vocation' from the Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE) Class 5 English textbook is a delightful poem that explores a child's innocent imagination and fascination with different everyday jobs. Written by Rabindranath Tagore, the poem describes how the speaker watches a hawker selling crystal bangles, a gardener digging the ground, and a watchman walking his beat at night. Unlike adults who are tied to fixed routines and rules, the child wishes to trade places with them for freedom. This chapter helps students appreciate poetry, understand word meanings, and learn about different professions in our community.

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Key Concepts

Vocation

A strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation, though in this poem, it refers to the daily jobs of ordinary workers.

Hawker

A person who travels from place to place selling goods, like the crystal bangle seller in the poem.

Imagination

The ability to form mental pictures or ideas of things that are not present or real, which the child uses to dream about different jobs.

Poetic Perspective

The unique viewpoint of the speaker (a child) who sees freedom where adults might only see hard work.

Important Formulas

Vocation: A person's regular work, job, or profession.
Hawker: Someone who cries out to sell things on the street.
Bande: A lane or street.

Board Exam Info

In the Maharashtra (MSBSHSE) Class 5 English exams, this chapter typically carries about 5 to 8 marks. Common question types include reading comprehension passages from the poem, rhyming words, matching meanings, and short answer questions about what the child wants to do at different times of the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who wrote the poem Vocation?

The poem Vocation was written by the famous Nobel laureate poet, Rabindranath Tagore.

Why does the child want to be a hawker?

The child wants to be a hawker because there is no fixed road he must take, no place he must go to, and no time when he must return home.

What does the watchman do at night in the poem?

The watchman walks up and down the dark, silent street with his lantern, chasing shadows with his red light.

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