Caged Bird
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.
In the first stanza, Maya Angelou refers to nature. She describes the way “a free bird leaps
on the back of the wind”. She describes the bird’s flight against the orange sky. The free
bird has the right “to claim the sky”. The way she describes the “orange sun rays” gives the
reader an appreciation for the natural beauty of the sky, and her description of the way the
bird “dips his wing” helps the reader to appreciate the bird in his natural habitat, enjoying
his freedom.
This stanza of ‘Caged Bird’ is in stark contrast with the first. By using the word “but” to begin
this
stanza,
the speaker prepares the reader for this contrast. Then she describes the “bird
Stanza
Two
that stalks his narrow cage”. The tone is immediately and drastically changed from peaceful,
satisfied, and joyful to one that is dark, unnerving, and even frustrating. She describes that
But
a bird that stalks
this caged first “can seldom see through his bars of rage”. While the free bird gets to enjoy
down
his narrow
the full sky,
the cagedcage
bird rarely even gets a glimpse of the sky. She claims that “his wings
(…)
are clipped and his feet are tied”. Text from her autobiography reveals that Angelou often
his
feetway
areintied
felt this
life. She felt restricted from enjoying the freedom that should have been her
so
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throat
tospeaker
sing. then reveals that these are the very reasons that the
rightheasopens
a human
The
bird “opens his throat to sing”.
This stanza of ‘Caged Bird’ is in stark contrast with the first. By using the
word “but” to begin this stanza, the speaker prepares the reader for this
The caged bird sings
This stanza of ‘Caged Bird’ is in stark contrast with the first. By using the word “but” to begin
contrast.
she describes
thereader
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that
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and
Stanza
Two
that
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that the
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sing”.
This
stanza
of ‘Caged
Bird’
in starkhiscontrast
with
the first. By using the
The free bird thinks of another breeze
word “but” to begin this stanza, the speaker prepares the reader for this
and the trade winds soft throughcontrast.
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Stanza
Two
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn
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because
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tone is immediately and drastically changed from peaceful, satisfied, and
and he names the sky his own joyful to one that is dark, unnerving, and even frustrating. She describes
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bird
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that athis
caged
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down
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But a caged bird stands on the grave
free bird
of dreams
gets to enjoy
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glimpse
of the sky. She claims that “his wings are clipped and his feet are
Stanza
Three
his shadow shouts on a nightmare
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are tied from her autobiography reveals that Angelou often felt this way
so
hecaged
opens
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The
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so he opens his throat to sing. in
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as a trill
human being. The speaker then reveals that these are the
withright
a fearful
This
stanza
of
‘Caged
Bird’
is in stark
contrast
with the first. By using the
very
reasons
that
the bird
“opens
his throat
to sing”.
(…)
The caged bird sings
word
begin this stanza, the speaker prepares the reader for this
for the“but”
cagedtobird
with a fearful trill
contrast.
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cage”.
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felt she
thisdescribes
way in hertheown
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wrotehis
andnarrow
sang and
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singsauthor
of freedom.
of things unknown
tone
is immediately
andof
drastically
changed
from for
peaceful,
satisfied, and
because
it was her way
expressing
her longing
freedom.
but longed for still
joyful
to
one
that
is
dark,
unnerving,
and
even
frustrating.
She
The third stanza reverts back to the free bird, further cementingdescribes
the
and his tune is heard
that
this
caged
first
“can
seldom
see
through
his
bars
of
rage”.
difference between the free bird and the caged bird in the minds While
of the the
on the distant hill
free
bird
gets
to
enjoy
the
full
sky,
the
caged
bird
rarely
even
gets
a can
readers. She writes that a “free bird thinks of another breeze” that he
for the caged bird
glimpse
of
the
sky.
She
claims
that
“his
wings
are
clipped
and
his
feet
are
enjoy theThree
“sighing trees” and be free to find his own food. The tone with
Stanza
tied”.
from her
revealsso
that
Angelou
often felt
sings of freedom.
which Text
she writes
the autobiography
first and third stanzas
sharply
contrasts
withthis
theway
in
life.
She
felt
restricted
from
enjoying
the
freedom
that
should
have
second
stanza,
readers can feel the difference. The first and third been
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caged
birdthat
sings
her
rightgive
as athe
human
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reveals
that these
the
stanzas
readerbeing.
a sense
ecstasy then
and thrill,
which
serve are
to make
with a fearful
trill
very
reasons
that
the
bird
“opens
his
throat
to
sing”.
the second stanza seem all the more droll and even oppressive.
(…)
for the caged bird
The author felt this way in her own life. She wrote and sang and danced
sings of freedom.
because it was her way of expressing her longing for freedom.
The
thirdFour
stanza reverts back to the free bird, further cementing the
Stanza