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Caged Bird
Maya Angelou
About Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou( 1928- 2014): American author, poet, dancer, actress, singer. Her works center on themes such as racism, family, travel. She wrote for Hallmark Greetings. when the editor disapproved of her decision to write for cards, she said, "If I'm America's poet, or one of them, then I want to be in people's hands... people who would never buy a book."
The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
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 cages bird sings
with fearful trill
of the 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 daw- 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 screams
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.
Available Answers
- 1.
Complete the summary of the poem given below by filling in the blanks. Choose words from the box:
free chipped streams unknown talks sun longs caged enjoys wind tied freedom sad The poem _______1_______ of two kinds of birds. One, a _______2______ bird, and the other, a _______3______ bird. The free bird _______4______ every aspect of nature, be it the _______5_______, the rays of the ______6______ or the clear _______7______. The caged bird, on the other hand, is _______8_______ to its narrow cage. His wings are _______9______ and feet, denied of all _______10_______. He sings a _______11______ song of _______12______ things, for _______13______ for freedom.
- 2.
The poem is said to be an extended metaphor, where the 'caged bird' refers to the segregated people of the society and the 'free bird' refers to the people who are not prejudiced against, on the basis of caste/colour. The last stanza is a repetition of the third stanza. This shows the depth of oppression and the struggle and desperation of the segregated community.
Find out about one such segregated community and write about it.
- 3.
The poem is filled with imagery.
Imagery is a poetic technique where the words paint a visual picture.
For example: the winter evening settles down.Pick out examples of imagery from this poem.
- 4.
The poem is filled with transferred epithets. A Transferred Epithet is an adjective that qualifies the noun instead of the person / object it is describing.
For example: the weary road.Pick out examples of transfeerred epithet from this poem.
- 5.What does the bird hope and yearn for?
- 6.How has the poet highlighted the agony of the bird?
10 more answer(s) available.