Directions (96-100): Read the following poem and answer the
given questions.

In all my wand’rings round this world of care,
In all my griefs-and God has giv’n my share
I still had hopes, my latest hours to crown,
Amidst these humble bow’rs to lay me down;
To husband out life’s taper at the close,
And keep the flame from wasting by repose;
I still had hopes, for pride attends us still,
Amidst the swains to show my book learn’d skill,
Around my fire an ev’ning group to draw,
And tell of all I felt, and all I saw.

What does the poet intend to do in life?

The correct answer is: To share his life experience.

This question asks us to identify the poet's intention — what he hopes to do with his life. To find the answer, we must read the poem carefully and pay close attention to the specific lines where the poet describes his personal hopes and desires.

Let us walk through the key lines of the poem step by step:

Step 1 — Understanding the Opening Context:
The poet begins by saying he has wandered the world full of care and grief — "In all my wand'rings round this world of care, / In all my griefs — and God has giv'n my share". This tells us the poet has lived a long, experience-filled, and sometimes difficult life. He is not complaining to God or to a king; he is simply acknowledging his life's journey.

Step 2 — Identifying His Hopes:
The phrase "I still had hopes" appears twice in the poem — this repetition is the poet's way of emphasizing what truly matters to him. His hopes are centered around returning to a humble, peaceful place ("Amidst these humble bow'rs to lay me down") and conserving his remaining life energy ("To husband out life's taper at the close, / And keep the flame from wasting by repose").

Step 3 — The Most Critical Lines:
The final lines of the excerpt are the clearest evidence for the correct answer:
"Amidst the swains to show my book learn'd skill,
Around my fire an ev'ning group to draw,
And tell of all I felt, and all I saw."
Here, the poet explicitly states his wish — to gather people around his fireside (an evening group) and tell them of all he felt and all he saw. In other words, he wants to share his life experiences — both his emotions ("all I felt") and his observations of the world ("all I saw").

Step 4 — Eliminating the Wrong Options:
• "To showcase his talent in singing" — The poem mentions book-learned skill and storytelling, not singing. This is incorrect.
• "To complain to God about his misery" — The poet mentions God only to acknowledge that grief is a given part of life, not to lodge a complaint. This is incorrect.
• "To complain to the king about injustice" — There is absolutely no mention of a king or any injustice in the poem. This is incorrect.

Conclusion:
The poet's central intention, as made crystal clear by the line "And tell of all I felt, and all I saw," is to share his life experience — his feelings, travels, observations, and wisdom — with others gathered around him. This is why Option 4 is the correct and only accurate answer.