Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou (4 April 1928 - 28 May 2014)

#2 on top 500 poets

Poems by Maya Angelou : 7 / 53

Caged Bird - Poem by Maya Angelou

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The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun 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 fearful trill
of the 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.

Maya Angelou

Poems by Maya Angelou : 7 / 53

Narayanan Kutty Pozhath (4/24/2018 9:29:00 PM)

Even if it is a golden cage, for the bird it is a cage and no freedom. (Report) Reply
Aayleyah white (4/20/2018 7:12:00 AM)

She inspired me since I was a baby and now she inspired me even more to speak my mind and to go forth and try something I haven't done and so I started writing my own poems. (Report) Reply
Joseph Stalin (4/11/2018 12:20:00 PM)

bet your that im a communist (Report) Reply
A kid with depression (4/11/2018 12:19:00 PM)

My math teacher is a communist, someone please help me, he believes in hitler (Report) Reply
Susan Williams (4/3/2018 3:42:00 PM)

I am so thankful that God has given us such literary giants as Maya and Frost and Dickenson and Poe and oh all the many others to express the thoughts of our souls- - they write such magnificent lines like those in this poem (Report) Reply
Anijah (4/2/2018 1:18:00 PM)

Good poem (Report) Reply
Shawnetta Bailey (4/1/2018 7:01:00 PM)

I just read this poem and I liked it alot (Report) Reply
Joe Yin (3/31/2018 4:00:00 AM)

This is a great poem. I really like this. (Report) Reply
Joe Stalin (3/27/2018 2:18:00 PM)

This is an amazing poem but I do not like how it not about communism the best government.(☭ ͜ʖ ☭) (Report) Reply
(? ?? ?) (3/27/2018 2:14:00 PM)

☭communism! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (Report) Reply
Kevin Spacy (3/19/2018 9:41:00 AM)

this poem attracts children really effective! ! 6.9/10 (Report) Reply
Ayesha (3/17/2018 1:52:00 AM)

Good The poem is very nice written and it has good balance I am fallen in love with the poem. (Report) Reply
Ayesha (3/17/2018 1:50:00 AM)

Very nice poem 🎶 (Report) Reply
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? / (3/13/2018 11:12:00 AM)

SO touching i feel like i am the caged bird (Report) Reply
Taco Bell© (3/13/2018 10:54:00 AM)

We love this poem.
[3 (Report) Reply
Neeru Gupta (3/13/2018 4:23:00 AM)

Beautiful.... (Report) Reply
DEPPRESION (3/12/2018 11:45:00 AM)

..................................... (Report) Reply
Narayana Aghalaya (3/10/2018 10:13:00 AM)

awesome -freedom and its absence -reactions and aspirations are different.Thank you poet for this lovely poem! (Report) Reply
777776542357k (3/5/2018 8:16:00 PM)

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (Report) Reply
! ! ! ! ! ! (3/5/2018 8:14:00 PM)

, ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! , ! ! ! ! ! , ! , ! ! ! , ? (Report) Reply