The poem ' i know why the caged birds sings' is written by Maya Angelou mainly dis cusses about the colour discrimination and ha hazardous effects she had to face within her community. Maya possessed a fame in English literature for writing based on her own experiences. due to the darkness of skin colour, Black Americans were were so humiliated and Maya as a black American writer , fought through her pen to protect the welfare and rights of her people. The poem' I know why the caged bird sings ' is written in third person point of view and can be considered as a free verse.
A 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
First stanza describes the actions depicted by a free bird. he has no limitations or boundaries so he freely floating backwards and forwards in the sky. He dips and dances in the orange sun rays and claims and conquer through the whole sky. Free bird symbolizes the people who have an ultimate and powerful and freedom. Here Maya mainly symbolized the white leadership which limited the rights of blacks in America , but even we consider about another society. This bitter truth of dividing power and freedom can be seen. One can gain freedom due to his political power, money and social status at the same time one can lose every right because of those facts.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing
Second stanza conveys the facts about a bird , a caged one. Unlike the free bird, he walks here and there inside the age. The cage is also a narrow one with limited space. The sight of the caged bird is very limited and he can rarely observe the surrounding through the bars of his cage. Hiss wings are clipped and his feet are tied prohibiting him to think of a glimpse of a freedom The caged bird symbolized the prohibited black American community through Maya's poem, But it is a portrait of powerless, innocent people While a group consuming all the luxurious , another group has prohibited rights to raise the steps, the right to talk and the right to think. It must be lament or a sob a shriek of anger about the fate of bird.
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
Poet describes the nature of bird's song. "A fearful trill' Cage bird doesn't have an understanding about what he need the freedom he expects because he haven't got such an experience. But he knows that , he had waited a long time for freedom, even though he couldn't define it. The angry and pitiful song of the caged bird is heard from a far away.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade wind soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn
and he names the sky his own
Poet reveals about the lifestyle of free bird. He has more freedom nd comforts around him nd he expects more than him. Even the destructive storm becomes soft when it comes through the sighing trees. Here' sighing trees' referred as another part of community through grievances in order to make the powerful and wealthy people comfortable. "Fat worms' implies the notorious food nd comforts exist in the environment for the free bird to feast on. The whole sky s reserved for the free bird. When we compare it to the human society the comforts, privileges experienced by the social injustice and discriminations experienced by the powerless can be contrast.
But a caged bird stands on a 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
Maya contrasts the caged bird's life with the free bird. caged bird is yelling in a really pathetic situation. All his dreams he has as a bird has faded and destroyed by the injustice of society. Not even bird, his shadow also laments about the pathetic situation he had. The only thing he can do is singing his woeful song in a shriek.
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
Last stanza of the poem repeats the facts mentioned in the third stanza. Even though he sang , caged bird doesn't know the reality or effect of his song. He has never experienced freedom . The only thing he possess is an expectation about freedom.