Borgialli 1

Cypress Borgialli
Mrs. Sauer
American Literature
10 October 2014
The Song Of Freedom-poem

Freedom is a very interesting concept, different people define it in different ways and it
can reflect on many feelings and points in history. In Maya Angelous poem, Caged Bird, she
beautifully writes about the traits of a creature with and without freedom. The poem is written in
the context of supporting The Civil Rights Movement for African Americans in America when
there was much prejudice towards them. Even though it was written specifically in that context, I
think that you can reflect upon this poem in a broader way and say that every person or group of
people in America have suffered inequality and lack of certain rights and freedoms.

Maya Angelou expressed many traits of how creatures respond to lack or presence of
freedom. The bird that is caged is very angry and full of emotions that blind him from thinking
straight. After his wings are clipped and his feet are tied (29), all he has left to express himself
is his voice which is harsh and angry since he is desperate for freedom. Oppositely, a bird with
freedom takes advantage of it. He enjoys things without thinking of others who are suffering.
With freedom comes greed and this bird dares to claim the sky (7). I think Angelou finds this
offensive that the free bird takes what is not his because he feels superior.
This poem was written to show the tension between blacks and whites during the Civil
Rights Movement in America because the former slaves wanted equal freedoms to the whites.
Slavery is a big part of American History, but even more so overcoming this inequality and

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unbalanced freedom. Angelou shows this tension by giving graphic description of each sides
emotions. The free bird thinks of another breeze and the winds soft through the sighing trees
(23) while the caged bird stalks down his narrow cage and can seldom see through bars of rage
(8). This clearly shows the tension between the two birds and represents the tension during the
Civil Rights Movement. Learning and reading about this time period is important because it is
part of us as Americans and discrimination still happens today. If we know how terrible
discrimination against any race really is, we can stop it from happening and make America a
better place to live.

I can relate to this poem because Angelou expresses the feeling of not being free so
explicitly and truthfully. A time where i experienced the feeling of lack of freedom is when
people treated me like i was not mature enough to be treated as an adult and not having the right
to speak for myself because i was thought of incapable of doing this. Angelou does not
specifically relate this poem to a specific race, she only says free bird (1) and caged bird
(15); therefore i think it can be applied to anyone feeling like they lack freedoms compared to
someone else. I think that not only races, but age groups go through discrimination based on
prejudice and stereotypes. The way to stop this is by learning about historical events where it
happened and also reading literature like this poem to bring awareness and understanding to
different perspectives.

America is based on freedom, but everywhere you go there will be people who are not
equal and who do not have the same freedoms as someone else. In Caged Bird, the author really
shows us powerful feelings of a creature who lacks freedom. Imagine yourself as the caged bird,

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would you chose to suffer from lack of freedom, or to be surrounded by greed and obliviousness
that comes with too much freedom?

Caged Bird
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

By Maya Angelou

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and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through

(10)

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 a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill

(20)

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 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

(30)

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but longed for still

and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.