Poetry: Maya Angelou

POEM: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" - By Maya Angelou

The free bird leaps
on the back of the win
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 trillof the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom
The free bird thinks of another breeze
an 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.

A.) I believe this poem is good for many reasons. First of all, it has great flow and a different way of rhyming. It used rhyming in a more high sense, and not like mother-goose type of rhyming. Maya Angelou also makes her poetry more deep - and hides a deeper meaning within her poems that makes you want to read over it again and again to get a more clearer though of what you think of it.

B) My favorite line would have to be "The caged bird sings,with fearful trill,of the things unknown,but longed for still" It is because of her wording and her meaning behind these few words. The way she words these poetry not only lets the poem flow, but it gives the poem an eery feel of the unknown. These lines, to me, mean that the unknown to all is scary, though we still fish around and want to know more about it - even if it seems intimidating. The meaning of these lines can apply to anyone's life in a way because we all want to know more about what we don't know - and though it will be hard to do, you have to to get over the fears of what you have never found.

C.) This poem makes me think about those who are watched and guarded heavily by their parents, or by someone else in their life, who is preventing them from the "Dangers" of the outer world. This poetry reflects this well because as the caged bird sings, it is tied down and looking to get out. It's like the child, not literally caged and barred down by their parents, but metaphorically because the only things they can do is what their parents tell them, and they are looking to break through those barrier walls and defeat the strength of parent over-rule. All they can do now is sit, and look out to the world behind their walls and hope for the day they can escape.