I know why thecagedbirdsings

The free bird leapson the back of the windand floats downstreamtill the current endsand dips his wingsin the orange sun raysand dares to claim the sky

But a bird that stalksdown his narrow cagecan seldom see throughhis bars of ragehis wings are clippedand his feet are tiedso he opens histhroat to sing

The caged bird singswith fearful trillof the things unknownbut longed for stilland is tune is heardon the distant hillfor the caged birdsings of freedom

The free bird thinksof another breezeand the trade winds softthrough the sighing treesand the fat worms waitingon a dawn-bright lawnand he names the skyhis own

But a caged bird standson the grave of dreamshis shadow shoutson a nightmare screamhis wings are clippedand his feet are tiedso he opens histhroat to sing

The caged bird singswith a fearful trillof things unknownbut longed for stilland his tune is heardon the distant hillfor the caged birdsings of freedom

Historical Context• Poem named after Maya Angelou’s

1969 autobiography with the same name

• Depicts racism in the 1960’s

• The caged bird represents thevocal activism of African Americans

• The singing can be the sound ofblack gospel music typicallyassociated with freedom themes

Comparative Poem

• Compares a free and caged bird

• This sets up literary contrast

• This engages to reader toobserve the differences

• What are the differencesbetween the free and caged birds?

The Free Bird

• Has it easy (back to the wind, downstream)

• His voice sings to claim the sky

• His song is about what he has

• His activity is getting moreof what he already has

The Caged Bird• Only has a specific lot in life (narrow cage)

• Cannot see truly what he is missing

• Cannot be a true bird (clipped, tied)

• Sings of things it doesn’t know,but deep down knows thereis more to life

• Sings for freedom

How I Identify With It• I feel trapped by the circumstances of life

• I feel like I’m always angry and in rage

• I feel like I’m always talkingabout what I could be butdon’t know how to get there

• Sometimes I feel that I havejust given up on my dreams

What It Means Today• First black president in history has helped

African American race relations

• There are still minoritiesthat are being trivialized

• The cry of the afflicted is still heard loud and clear today

• The poor and the immigrant