Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Caged Bird by Maya Angelou /poem




Struggle for freedom is the main theme of this poem. The author has compared the free bird and the caged bird describing their actions in such a profound way and it gives the impression that she herself is one of the birds. The emotions behind every line are so well put that reading it sends chills down your spine. One has it difficult to dream when everything is against that dream becoming reality and those who are denied of that right, cannot even dare to look, let alone claim the sky. In this poem we notice that sometimes all that is holding us back is physical. Like a cage that holds a bird and his wings are clipped and feet are tied and the only spiritual escape for him is singing. That song of freedom shows his longing soul while the free bird is just enjoying like and the cycle that mother nature has created. Referring to the slaves and comparing them with a caged bird we notice the same fearful trill of the unknown things. And their screams of pain were heard even on the most distant hills. Their cries intensify the tragedy of their lives and those "bars" cannot even let them see the sun as a free white man would. 
Nevertheless the world is changing and the most beautiful lesson you can learn from Maya Angelou is that liberating yourself is what one needs, in order to be free.

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