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 need help with finding some imageries in this poem and explain what they mean. I also need to know why this poem repeats!
Thx
I got this poem from a friend of mine(jess) who definitely understands me more than i let on. She sent me this poem because this is exactly how my life is.. I feel like im a bird in a cage and the only song that i have is of freedom. As the poem kept going, i realized that Maya Angelou is right about the fact that the free bird thinks of another “breeze” while the bird that is caged only constantly thinks about freedom and the dreams they would have if they were free. That is exactly how i felt too. This correlates to me because my life is similar to this in so many ways. Parents have no right to cage their children and my message is that if they do they will suffer and make their children suffer as well. I dont have to sing for freedom anymore because i have it. But i will never be truly free from my parents grasp if i dont let them go completely. Financially, and emotionally..
but my two cents to this poem are that i love it, that Maya Angelou knew the message she wanted to convey and she did and it came out loud and clear, the price of freedom, the duality between having freedom and not having it… i love this poem. i’m going to first thank jess for sending it to me and then im going to print it out and keep it by me. It’s very inspiring, and i thank maya for writing this poem.. it definitely described my feelings within.
i like the birdbrain metaphor. we are all imprisoned within the bars of our own ignorance. i think it is sadly restrictive to examine this poem in light of racial issues.
i really dislike this poet. in all of her poems that i have read, she seems entirely obsessed with comparison and a sort of competitiveness. i have my doubts that these things are any sort of stepping stones on a path to freedom.
i notice that my mother Eunice Johnson was mention in the book, she was married to Bailey Johnson before she died. I would like to talk or e-amil Maya Angelou about the past, or talk to her brother Bailey Johnson
Dear Friend from Bosnia, I fear that for generations born in America, sleeping in comfort on the graves of brave fathers and grandfathers, I fear that many have no idea that they are free, that they have never known true bondage and, sadly, have no idea how “precious freedom is.”
This poem was written with very simple words and in a simple style, but still it says a lot. When you read
“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.” it makes you wonder “does humanity actually realize how precious freedom is???”
The poem I know Why The Caged Bird Sings has inspired me to read more poetry. The feeling that this poem brings out in people is extrordinary. To be caged up and have no will of your own is one of the greatest sins of all time. This poem tells how they must of felt, how horrible it must of been.
It’s notorious that this poem show the suffering of a people whom was forced to work like slaves even when slavery was over, and it’s also a critic for those who insult those who are equal to them.
Analysis
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou’s touching poem revolves around the theme of freedom. On the subject of freedom Maya Angelou impressively uses effective metaphors, choice words that resemble her people, themes, diction, rhythm scheme, imagery, and paradoxes that bring out within Maya and the reader feelings that represent thriving anger and injustice. Justification implied in the title demonstration how the speaker, the poet, can feel what her people went through when slavery was around.
In the first stanza, Maya Angelou uses imagery to show display to the reader how the soul is so alive and filled with excitement when it is free and unbounded from impulsiveness. Angelou uses imageries that are so strong to invoke such thoughts of being imprisoned come across the spirit of the unbounded bird. “Leaps on the back of the wind” and “dips his wings in the orange sun rays” enrich the readers senses to reflect on thought of being so free and alive. The choice of words that Angelou uses reflect that simple natural elements of nature represent a visual play ground for the bird. The reader imagines an energetic bird flying so high into the sky where he has reached the furthest and no longer can fly anymore; a bird living life to the fullest and have that great choice to guide himself where ever he wants to. These word that are transcribed by Maya give the reader a colorful feeling of happiness.
In the next stanza, however, Maya writes in depressing and stark voice. Such images and metaphors that are completely opposite from those of the first stanza.
“Narrow cage”, “bars of rage” and “wings are clipped” express a feeling of terror and fear. The irony and paradox shown in this stanza are displayed in magnitude because of the pleasant imageries in the first stanza. “Bars of rage”, a metaphor that represents the imprisonment of innocent slaves throughout history. This unpleasant dissimilarity makes the reader want to have sympathy from the bound bird. As the reader wants to show sympathy they cannot help thing why such an unjust act was done to this bird. Ironically the drawn out cruel life that the bird owns as compared to the free bird makes his destiny seem so far conquered by misfortune.
The choice of words additionally adds sadness and grief to the eyes of the reader. “Grave of dreams”, a metaphor, creates a sorrow because the imagery echo’s itself to despair and misery. The irony that extends the poem is that tragic fact that the bird still sings. In the last stanza “The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still” represents that even thou he is inescapable his dreams and future are still there edging the fact that they might seem impossible. This verse gives the reader hope that even in the toughest moments they will overcome. The alliteration found in the poem stretches the idea of the depression the reader admires about the caged bird. The repetition in “shadows shouts on a nightmare scream” creates an effect of strong determination that does not fade regardless of the harsh circumstances the bird faces.
In the rhyming of the poem each stanza follows the rhyming scheme of AAAB, as in the 3rd and 6th stanza. The flexibility of the first two lines in the stanza following a rhyming scheme symbolizes the imprisonment of the bird. However, the third line in the same stanza is unique and does not follow the prior rhyming scheme. The last line of the rhyming scheme gives hope to the bird which signifies that as long as the bird sing his dream of freedom will come true. Analysis
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou’s touching poem revolves around the theme of freedom. On the subject of freedom Maya Angelou impressively uses effective metaphors, choice words that resemble her people, themes, diction, rhythm scheme, imagery, and paradoxes that bring out within Maya and the reader feelings that represent thriving anger and injustice. Justification implied in the title demonstration how the speaker, the poet, can feel what her people went through when slavery was around.
In the first stanza, Maya Angelou uses imagery to show display to the reader how the soul is so alive and filled with excitement when it is free and unbounded from impulsiveness. Angelou uses imageries that are so strong to invoke such thoughts of being imprisoned come across the spirit of the unbounded bird. “Leaps on the back of the wind” and “dips his wings in the orange sun rays” enrich the readers senses to reflect on thought of being so free and alive. The choice of words that Angelou uses reflect that simple natural elements of nature represent a visual play ground for the bird. The reader imagines an energetic bird flying so high into the sky where he has reached the furthest and no longer can fly anymore; a bird living life to the fullest and have that great choice to guide himself where ever he wants to. These word that are transcribed by Maya give the reader a colorful feeling of happiness.
In the next stanza, however, Maya writes in depressing and stark voice. Such images and metaphors that are completely opposite from those of the first stanza.
“Narrow cage”, “bars of rage” and “wings are clipped” express a feeling of terror and fear. The irony and paradox shown in this stanza are displayed in magnitude because of the pleasant imageries in the first stanza. “Bars of rage”, a metaphor that represents the imprisonment of innocent slaves throughout history. This unpleasant dissimilarity makes the reader want to have sympathy from the bound bird. As the reader wants to show sympathy they cannot help thing why such an unjust act was done to this bird. Ironically the drawn out cruel life that the bird owns as compared to the free bird makes his destiny seem so far conquered by misfortune.
The choice of words additionally adds sadness and grief to the eyes of the reader. “Grave of dreams”, a metaphor, creates a sorrow because the imagery echo’s itself to despair and misery. The irony that extends the poem is that tragic fact that the bird still sings. In the last stanza “The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still” represents that even thou he is inescapable his dreams and future are still there edging the fact that they might seem impossible. This verse gives the reader hope that even in the toughest moments they will overcome. The alliteration found in the poem stretches the idea of the depression the reader admires about the caged bird. The repetition in “shadows shouts on a nightmare scream” creates an effect of strong determination that does not fade regardless of the harsh circumstances the bird faces.
In the rhyming of the poem each stanza follows the rhyming scheme of AAAB, as in the 3rd and 6th stanza. The flexibility of the first two lines in the stanza following a rhyming scheme symbolizes the imprisonment of the bird. However, the third line in the same stanza is unique and does not follow the prior rhyming scheme. The last line of the rhyming scheme gives hope to the bird which signifies that as long as the bird sing his dream of freedom will come true.
Maya Angelou’s touching poem revolves around the theme of freedom. Throughout history slavery and racisms has been one of the largest issues during the course of time and the word freedom has had so many impacts in the negro society dating back to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s magnificent speech, “I Have A Dream.” On the subject of freedom Maya Angelou impressively uses effective metaphors, choice words that resemble her people, themes, diction, rhythm scheme, imagery, and paradoxes that bring out within Maya and the reader feelings that represent thriving anger and injustice. Justification implied in the title demonstration how the speaker, the poet, can feel what her people went through when slavery was around.
In the first stanza, Maya Angelou uses imagery to show display to the reader how the soul is so alive and filled with excitement when it is free and unbounded from impulsiveness. Angelou uses imageries that are so strong to invoke such thoughts of being imprisoned come across the spirit of the unbounded bird. “Leaps on the back of the wind” and “dips his wings in the orange sun rays” enrich the readers senses to reflect on thought of being so free and alive. The choice of words that Angelou uses reflect that simple natural elements of nature represent a visual play ground for the bird. The reader imagines an energetic bird flying so high into the sky where he has reached the furthest and no longer can fly anymore; a bird living life to the fullest and have that great choice to guide himself where ever he wants to. These word that are transcribed by Maya give the reader a colorful feeling of happiness.
this poeme really got to me it how i felt alot growing up still do at times .i have autism so it like being lock in your own body .i cant all ways verbly let out how much i know and understand .that why i like this poeme
ur poems are good there inspirational
this poem is in fact the best one i ever read in my 17 years of life and its just good. this poem to me means that maya once felt like a Caged bird that she would always cry and feel trapped but indeed kept her dreams still alive and ready to pursue in which when she got older she became a freed bird singing and her dreams were really pursued
Paul Laurence Dunbar did indeed write a poem entitled “Sympathy” which can be read on this website at https://www.americanpoems.com/poets/Paul-Laurence-Dunbar/15528. It is a different poem from Maya Angelou’s poem “Caged Bird.”
Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote the poem “Sympathy” in 1896, not Maya Angelou. She used the poem’s first line “I know why the caged bird sings” as the title of her autobiography. Please give credit where credit is due!
this poem by far is the best of
maya angelou.
becuase it makes you think.
well, at least it made me think.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is a poignant poem that revolves around the theme of freedom. Maya Angelou masterfully uses paradoxes, choice words and elements of rhyming and rhythm, to bring out within us feelings of sympathy, anger and a large sense of unjust.
In the first stanza, the poet uses imageries that are near astonishing to invoke within us images of unbounded freedom and spontaneity. “Leaps on the back of the wind” and “dips his wings in the orange sun rays” delightfully enraptures our senses. Nature and its elements are portrayed as the playground for the bird. We imagine a bird high in the sky, flying where he wants to, and having a time of his life. We are transcribed through the poet’s choice of words into this feeling of wonder and joy.
However, in the next stanza, we are met with a stark contrast to the previous imageries formed. The words “narrow cage”, “bars of rage” and “wings are clipped” evokes a feeling of dread and horror. What makes these feelings more immense in magnitude is the fact that this is such a paradox from the happy imageries formed in the first stanza. Because of this horrible contrast, I feel so much sympathy for this caged bird. The fact that life has drawn him a cruel lot as compared to the free bird makes his fate indescribably pitiful. I as the reader cannot help but feel a sense of indignant and unjust as well – Why is life so impartial and so unfair?
Not only does this sharp paradox weave out these feelings from me, the choice of words further amplifies my sadness in this tale of injustice. “Grave of dreams” creates a thudding sense of sorrow in me because through this imagery of dreams in graves, we are transcribed into a gloomy and empty world. This is because the words echo the finality of captivity as well as the impossibility for a better tomorrow. What then heightens this sense of tragic, is the fact that the caged bird still sings – “The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still”. We see the futility of it all, and yet we are immensely moved into feelings of strong empathy and grief. The caged bird has been cast into a wretched, inescapable lot yet his dreams are still there, no matter how tenuous and impossible. In a way, we are also made to feel a sense of awe, amidst these feelings of despondency and hopelessness, with the birds determination even in the face of impossibility.
This feeling of saddened awe is intensified by the alliteration found in the poem. The repetition and persistence of the letter “s” in “shadows shouts on a nightmare scream” has the effect of creating a sense of steely determination that does not weaken, despite the circumstances.
However, the rhyming of this poem has to be the most inspiring device that the poet uses to fully evoke a contrasting feeling of hope. Each stanza follows the rhyming scheme of AAAB (thrill, hill, shrill, freedom). The rigidity of the first three lines in following a rhyming scheme signifies the captivity of the bird. The rhyme seems to be like a chain, holding the bird down to his dire circumstances. However, what is most poignant is the last line, which goes unmatched and does not follow the previous rigid rhyming scheme. This shows us how, perhaps, hope still survives. As long the caged bird continues to sing and hope for freedom, hope can never be entirely extinguished. The last line is like the light at the end of the tunnel, the promise at the end of a dream.
In all, the poet has masterfully transfixed us into this poem, bringing alive a myriad of feelings within us. This is something so beautiful, that despite the disparity of it all, we can feel a sense of freedom. Just the like the bird, we can be free to feel. And that, perhaps, is wonderful enough.
Maya is one of the best poets with the use of symbolism. In the political view of this poem, you can see her informal protest of slavery. her suttle words such as rage and sighing trees show the big difference in lives of the birds. I would reccommend this poem to anyone looking for something with sybolism.
I think the line breaks are wrong in this version of the poem. Check out other versions of it.
this poem is beautiful. I have done reports on her poems and she is amazing! i’m glad that i found this poem. 🙂