Answer: The speaker ‘I’ is a school-going child. The line “I wish I were a hawker” shows that the child imagines himself doing different jobs. He also mentions returning from school and being sent to bed by his mother.

Answer: In the morning, the child sees a hawker selling bangles. In the afternoon, he sees a gardener digging the ground. At night, he sees a watchman walking up and down the street with his lantern.

Answer: No, the child has not made up his mind about what he wants to become. He wishes to be a hawker in the morning, a gardener in the afternoon and a watchman at night. This shows that he is attracted to different occupations and imagines the freedom each one offers.

Answer: The child wants to be a hawker because nobody hurries him or tells him when to return home. He wants to be a gardener because he can dig the ground freely without anyone stopping him. He wants to be a watchman because he can walk through the streets at night and chase shadows with his lantern. He admires the freedom these workers seem to enjoy.

Answer: I like the stanza about the gardener the most. I can imagine the gardener digging the ground with his spade and getting his clothes dirty. I like this stanza because the gardener appears to work freely without anyone stopping him. The description creates a clear picture of his daily life.

Answer: The simile in the poem is:

“The street-lamp stands like a giant with one red eye in its head.”

The poet compares the street-lamp to a giant with one red eye. The word “like” is used to make this comparison. Therefore, it is a simile.