I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

                                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 wing

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 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.

               Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird" uses the powerful metaphor of two birds—one free and one caged—to explore themes of freedom, oppression, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Summary:

                The poem contrasts a free bird, who joyfully soars through the sky, claiming it as his own, with a caged bird, who lives in confinement with clipped wings and tied feet. Despite its physical imprisonment and emotional pain, the caged bird sings—a song filled with fear, longing, and hope for freedom.

               The free bird lives without restraint, enjoying the world and dreaming of more. Meanwhile, the caged bird, though trapped and surrounded by despair (“the grave of dreams”), still uses its voice to express a deep yearning for liberty.

Key Themes:

Freedom vs. Confinement

Hope and Resilience

Racial and Social Injustice (symbolically representing those silenced or oppressed)

               Angelou's repetition of the caged bird's song emphasizes that even in the darkest conditions, the spirit still reaches for freedom.

Referenses 

Angelou, Maya. "Caged Bird." The Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird. 

Thank you.