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.
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Comments
1 - 43 of 43
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From guest ines (contact)
this poem make me fell sad because maya compaire two birds with two different people -
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symbolism
From guest brianna champagne (contact)
wow as i read this poem i though about slavery also it lead me to believe that the two birds represent to sides of maya angelou the caged side and the free side of her this is a poem that will make you come up with many conclusions -
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Who doesn't feel like this?
I think it's safe to say that from time to time everyone feels "caged", wether he does it to himself or not. -
Symbolism
From guest santellie (contact)
I love how you used a caged bird and a free bird to represent the true things in life. It represents rich, and white against those who are poor, and african american slaves. The poem has a deeply understanding meaning behind it! -
what a book
From guest jeanette garcia (contact)
yes i love your book once i started reading it i couldnt stop reading it -
good story
From guest anonymous (contact)
i think this story is really good and i appreciate dis poem because it really means alot to me -
it's not what you think
From guest CayceQuilter (contact)
What gives the song it's power? That is what this poem is about. -
this makes no sense
From guest Rychel (contact)
i am readin the book by this women, and it doesnt make ne sense to me HELP -
Favorite Poet
From guest Lorraine (contact)
Maya Angelou was always and still is my favorite poet. I love her work, and she reminds me of a mom. Possibly my mom. There is something very motherly about her. Let me also say that this poem is a favorite, and that Maya and her writing TRANSCEND race. -
Still singing
Maya's words are today still echoing through the chasms of life. I cannot begin to explain how her words in this poem reflect my life. And worst of all, I think that our cages today are our own prisons that we have built up around ourselves. We as a society have clipped our own wings and cannot fly because of our own regrets and tormenting passions. I, for one, sing because I cannot become what once I could have, but know that in the bitter blight of what is left of life for me, I strive to be empowered. -
Maya's past
From guest danica (contact)
Maya had a troublesome past. Her virginity was stolen from her at a young age by her mothers boyfriend. She was constatly on the move between her mother, and her grandmother. Her past plays more into this piece than some of you may think. Read up... -
Caged Birds
From guest Petula Clark (contact)
The imagery moved me very much - because I am empathetic - I can relate to the caged birds feelings! -
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Excellent
I was born in Africa,brought up in Africa and all that I know today and hold dear has its being from Africa and in Africa.
This Poem though written by a daughter of Africa with American connection can not and must not be limited to the events that daily and in the past affected the stollen Children of Africa.
She speaks of a freedom that Africa continues to long for and cry for"and this tune is heard in the distant hill,for the caged bird sings of freedon".
africa has been caged in the Cage of Slavery,Colonnialism,Now-Anew form of Colonialism in the name of "Donor aid".
This to me is a statement that every African is making as they go about trying to find a better life -
And by the way.....
obviouly Prisoner of Chillion this poem was way too deep for you to comprehend.. who are you or anyone to say what poetry comes from???? Poetry has no rhyme or reason... it just is...yoou must have never been discriminated against or felt that you were wrong because of what you look like... once again we are reminded that ignorance is always present in every day life.... -
Brilliance
I think poetry comes from the heart.. and indeed this poem came from her heart... therefore it is poetry and poetry at its best... " his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing " I; like this line the best... it expresses the feeling of being held back and wanting to just let go, but you can't... -
Disregard my last comment.
If this poem were a pie, it would be filled with unflavored Jello. It's a slew of trite rhymes, bland metaphors, and lackluster images. It's popular and inspirational, and (maybe) it makes a compelling social statement. But that doesn't mean it has poetic value, does it? -
Best Song of 1995!!!
This poem is the centerpiece of Dr. Angelou's double album "Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness." Angelou's crunching lead guitar is a perfect complement to her doomsday lyrics:
"The world is a vampire, sent to drain
Secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames
And what do I get for my pain?
Betrayed desires, and a piece of the game
(chorus)
Even though I know - I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold-like old job
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Then someone will say what is lost can never be saved
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage"
Doc Angelou's soul buckles under the heft of uninvited abuse. The reward for her pain is a routine lifestyle that's more enervating than empowering. And her only escape is to whine about her bondage over the course of a 4 minute alt-rock song. This is a modern classic, folks! -
This is probably her best poem. It succeeds in getting the message across poetically--wheras many of her other works are simply prose divided into very short lines. I love the imagery here ("...dips his wings/ in the orange sun rays", "...trade winds soft through the sighing trees")--there's an interesting contrast between the delicacy of the author's language and the blunt harshness of the poem's theme, which is, of course, opression. The poem as a whole can be interpreted on many levels. It may describe the plight of millions of weary African-Americans, it may shed light upon the unfavorable position of women ino our country, or it may simply reflect the author's view of herself. This poem may not be great; nevertheless, it comes closer to perfection than anything I've read by Angelou.
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I just love this poem. It says so much more than is written.
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I think that in writing this, Dr. Maya Angelou was writing about the dream of attaining freedom. I think the fact that the bird is a caged bird represents oppression and the fact that the bird is singing represents the dream, the longing for a future full of freedom. I interpret the meaning of this poem to be about slavery and is about the dream of freedom and the longing for freedom from behind bars. With clipped wings and tethered feet, the only way the caged bird can express himself is by singing since he is after all, caged.
This poem made me feel a lot of emotions. I felt a lot of sadness because I could feel the oppression; I could only imagine what it would feel like to be stripped of my freedom and still have the will to dream. I feel a deep admiration for anyone with such strength. I also felt a deep anger that anyone would be forced to live without freedom. Yet, all of these negative feelings that I felt were balanced nicely with the beautiful and touching feeling of hope that was the shining theme of the poem. I found the message of always holding onto your dreams, even if they seem far away and even if attaining them is a scary thing very inspirational.
My initial reaction to this poem was an emotional one. I found it to be deeply touching. I found the meaning to be a powerful one and it was well stated. As for the technical aspects of the poem I liked the way the words flowed, nicely complimenting one another. I especially liked the imagery Dr. Angelou used. Overall I found the poem to be simple which is good because I believe when you are sending a strong message you don't want the readers to get hung up on the complexity of the poem. This poem is absolutely captivating. I am inspired by the writing.
~M~
Edited on Jul 21, 8:04 because ''. -
This is so beautiful and it can be related to several different areas of life and society. Truly beautiful.
OD
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I love this poem!
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Pure beauty~are her words! This is an inspirational poem about freedom.I can hear the birds song~
Tammy33
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A beautiful piece. The wording is simple, and yet perfect in its simplicty, beautiful and well-written with imagery that captivates. A wonderful write, truly unusual, but worth the read.
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Nothing like freedom and this the free bird does,daring 'to claim the sky';while the caged bird 'longed for still'.The treament,the theme and flow of this poem stands it out.This is an immortal piece of art.
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that was very lovely...you seem to pour out with the talent...thanks for sharing
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this poem has made my day it is awesome, it makes you think of your own life and how some of us is like a bird in a cage.
very, very, beautiful
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this is a very inspiring poem. How wonderful to see such talent posted in the feature box. Thank you for sharing this with us.
bec x -
Maya Angelou writes with such a majestic and picturesque style. Her words have always been a great source of comfort and encouragement. I love so many of her pieces and this is definitely among them. She has extraordinary talent and compassion. It shows in every piece she writes. Thank you for sharing this.
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thank you thank you
this is one of my favourite poems of all times
it is excellent to see it here
xxxxxxx -
Wow! amazing!It makes me really inspired.
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EVEN WHEN IN A CAGE, THE BIRD STILL SINGS...
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Even in our Prison of Oppresion the African People still sing,Even in the cage of past slavery our voices never ceased to sing for freedom,
Yes,Even in a cage no matter what type of cage the bird still sings.
We will never stop to sing no matter what.
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This is a beautiful piece. i've never heard it before, but i can say it is among my favorites now. i love poetry that has a second meaning. besides the describing words in this were so great...i could actually see the bird.
~karr
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I've read this poem about 20 times. For my English class in middle school, and in highschool. There is also a book too, I think, and I've read part of that. Ahh I love this. It's such a powerful and inspirational piece. Thanks so much for sharing this .
Kamikaze. -
As a secret bird watcher ( my friends laugh at me for it lol ) I enjoyed this very much so , Maya Angelou has always spoken to my heart .. Thank you for a walk down memory lane , Be Safe , Catressa
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I heard Dr. Angelo in Washington and she read this poem and I was blown away, the speed in which she read it, the pauses, the raising and lowing of her voice, just swept me inot an image that was unexplainable. After that I have collected her books and try to find out shere she is speaking when I am in the US to see if I can grab the moment back where her words captured my heart. The closest I came was watching a big screen TV while she recited her poem for Presidient Clinton upon his inaugeration into the White House, and she never faltered in capturing my heart again with her words.
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this was great, I like the idea of it too, this is awesome! Sorta reminds me of a jailbird i know... hehehe
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A very powerful piece, full of feeling and emotion. A great boost to anyone's day
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Absolutley astonishing - i wonderful read
I think i have fallen in love with this poem. Its style and wording is amazing. So vivid and imaginary. Picturesque to a certain extent. This is an excellent write. The way the wording gives of a light of sadness and longing. -
This poem is amazing.. I love the way she repeats what the caged bird goes through, reinforcing how howrrible it is. I think it is neat how even though we hear more about the free bird and how positive it is, the caged bird part sticks with us more. Interesting.
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hey,thanks for posting the poems on the net. it helped alot
... thanks again -
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.
Powerful words and beautifully said it is no wonder that this poem is so popular, it delivers its message with an impact. -
Great
This is a great poem acknowledge the world over - Maya Angelou is an amazing phenomenon. . .cant say enough about her and her books . . Albert -
I absolutely love this poem. It is so true not onbly about birds but people and everything for that matter. A beautiful poem with beautiful wordings I just cant say enough about it. Absolutely positively wonderful
-Amanda -
I think this is very powerful. It's such a sharp contrast between being caged or being free. Given the choice I'd take the flight that of the free bird any day. A caged bird is not permitted to live. I am touched by this poem.
~*Misty*~
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Please share this poem with anyone you know who keeps a bird in a cage. It is so sad that people cage these beautiful creatures that should be free.
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So often you know something's wrong, but can't explain why. This speaks for so many people, and other creatures as well. What a lovely way to give them a voice.
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This is a great poem throughly enjoyed it. Melody
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Read this is High School still read as powerful as it was like ten years ago... May's spirit reigns freely in this piece.
~CWM~ -
Dear Maya, this has been over the years one one of fav poems,
and one of the reasons I have taken up this quill. I hope some day to write a poem that equals this. -
The caged bird's feet may be tied and wings may be clipped but no force can mute it's song of freedom. A wonderful poem.
krishna -
This is a metaphorical masterpiece.
I have today, had my first taste of Maya Angelou and it certainly won't be my last.
This is superb.
~Von~ -
Wonderful poem, this one has to be shared what a great message a song of freedom.
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