CAGED BIRD

By : Maya AngeLou A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings int he 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 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.

Title: A CA !" B#$" can be interpreted as the black race being held back from freedom by their skin color. %!TA&'($): *caged bird*+ the black race retaining the disadvantaging skin color, lack of freedom *free bird*+ *wind*+ *breeze*+ the white race retaining freedom, aversion toward blacks white tradition in history, white race superior to black hope, opportunity

*fat worms*+ opportunity *wings are clipped and his feet are tied*+ what has gone down through tradition, disadvantages of blacks seldom due to their skin color *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 -uotation above is a significant stanza of the poem, CA !" B#$". The stanza e.plicitly displays the true meaning of the poem and defines actions of a *caged bird.* Blackness of skin acts as a barrier for the black race/ it prevents freedom for a person. The freedom, and feelings of a white person0s e.istence are unknown to one who is black. 'ere, %aya0s belief for freedom and e-uality is beginning to spread among the black race. )he *sings* for freedom.

The metaphors from Caged Bird are well used and creative. &erhaps the interpretation of the poem could have been communicated using bees, flowers, roots, and pollen as metaphors. bees+ wings for flight+ flowers+ roots+ pollen+ white race white tradition carried through history, black race black tradition of une-ual opportunities, permanent in the ground opportunities, that can be carried by the bees, but can remain in the flowers