I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
-Maya Angelou
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 caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hillfor the caged bird
sings of freedom
The free bird thinks of another breeze
an 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
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
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 caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hillfor the caged bird
sings of freedom
The free bird thinks of another breeze
an 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
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
“The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
But longed for still”
I believe that’s my favorite part of this poem.
I think there is a part in all living things that knows how things should be. In Wild animals that have been tamed, there is still a part of them that seems to play with their natural instincts, sometimes leading previously domesticated animals to be released in a facility akin to “the wild” just so they may be free to act upon the things they do by instinct alone. In children from tumultuous homes, they seek out peaceful places, people or things to give that the security they don’t know they need. People who have been unloved look for Love, but call it by a different name. People who are empty look to be filled, and usually they have no idea they are doing any such thing.
We all have a good idea of what we “should” have and who we “should” be. Unfortunately, this world makes that sort of perfection absolutely impossible, save for one thing. Jesus Christ.
He makes those impossibilities possible.
We just have to be smart enough to act on our instincts and trust the One who really is greater than ourselves to become the people and have the situations we know we really should have.
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