I know why the caged bird sings Poem by Maya Angelou

I know why the caged bird sings

Rating: 4.8


A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.

I know why the caged bird sings
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Neran Sati 09 March 2016

All three posts of Maya deal with the same issue -freedom. That sacred precondition of all singing life! The first or the ultimate goal, the one out of dispute, beyond any else!

51 28 Reply
Marilyn Timpanaro 28 June 2017

I understand this now in a way I never could before. Those who are free take it for granted, they don't even understand what they've got - but those who are chained, by bars, or by grief, or by age, or by some other circumstance - they yearn for that freedom that's so easily taken for granted. They yearn to lay their heads down on a cloud pillow without a care. They yearn to walk in the surf and feel the sand and water between their toes. But they can only dream about these things, because they are impossible. I understand now in a way I never did before, though I thought I did. I wish I didn't.

50 8 Reply
Tom Allport 13 February 2017

a great understanding poem about never giving up ones dreams? no matter who or what you are?

29 22 Reply
no name yet 17 September 2018

so sad alexa play despacito

26 18 Reply
Thicc69 12 April 2018

69 is amazing so is this poem amazing and very nice

22 13 Reply
Suresh Kumar Ek 05 September 2020

free birds wiil not sing poetry

5 15 Reply
Deepak Kumar Pattanayak 04 August 2020

Master piece by master poetess about free bird vs. Caged bird on freedom so touchingly told.....timeless piece...10+++

5 4 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 04 August 2020

Freedom! ! ! Like a free bird. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

4 1 Reply
Bharati Nayak 04 August 2020

The caged bird sings with A fearful trill of things unknown But longed for still and his Tune is heard on the distant hill For the caged bird sings of freedom.- - - - - Freedom is so essential for all living spirit.

7 1 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 04 August 2020

A very thought provoking poem, the great poetess let the reader oft thinks a bit more in almost all her poems, that makes her poems so attractive and very impressive. Two final lines in the last stanza: Tune is heard on the distant hill For the caged bird sings of freedom......yess! The caged bird sings of freedom, this line says a very lot about her life in the USA and that of her groups'life.Since the death of Floyd important things have changed.

3 3 Reply
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