Posted on January 19, 2007 by Mrs. Albanese
This week I revealed my absolute respect and admiration for Maya Angelou. We looked at two of her poems and talked about the metaphors and poets/writers tools. Write to tell me what you thought of her poems. Tell me what was her message to youth and her message to persons who live in a “cage”.
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou |
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The free bird leaps
on the back of the win
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 hill for 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. |
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Filed under: Class Reflection
I think the word “cage” in Maya’s poem is a metaphor for some people’s emotions. If sombody feels happy for some reason and is too afraid to show it, they are “caging” their feelings. I think her poem was very special because everyone can relate to it. I think her message to youth was to express whatever they felt like or they may end up very anti-social and sad.
I think the poem is how the author compares a caged bird to a teenager seeking independence.or freedom. Like a caged bird,a teen can sometimes feel caged, unable to fly, or unable to find independence.
I enjoyed Maya Angelou’s poems very much. I think she is an incredible poet. I think her message to the youth was that even when you feel “caged” you can still seek freedom and independence. Her message to people who live in a cage is kind of to just be free and rejoice and be yourself.
I think this poem compares the human race as how we canot leave this worldwithout space crafts. Also how we are restricted to land without wings. we have adapted to our disability with planes and space shuttles but if we had our wings clipped and our feet tied all we would have is to sing
I thought this poem was very unieqe because for almost everything she says ,she says through a metaphore. A “caged bird” could mean drug abuse, prison, or even being in the hospital. This poem was very well thought out.
Maya Angelou is a inspire to me alot. This poem she wrote has many ideas to it. I think this poem was ment to be written becuase Maya is explaining that a cage is something you create and you dont want to be in that cage. The cage is keeping you from doing good things, and you need to figure out a way to get out of that cage and free yourself. Although thats what I think, the poem was really good.
I really like this poem beacause it makes me think of people that have addictions. Like if you are addicted to drugs or alcohol you have caged your self to those substances. If you are a free bird you have not caged your self to substances. The free bird does not have to smoke ever day to be happy.
I really like this poem because of the way that see rhymes the same paragraphs twice. I really admire her work and hope to read more of it.
it was a good poem its not fun to be caged
I like this poem very much because it describes about being caged. I think this refers to people in jail and the only thing they have is their voice.
Well I think that the cage is not something others bring on to us but something we bring on our selves, it is our emotion that trap us not just the pressure of others.
In the peom “I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings”, i think that the bird represents a person and the cage represents an emotional cage that we (people) build around ourselves after a sertain amount of time. This cage could be formed from depression, being in dept, injuries, mental illness, diseases, and much much more. This poem speaks to you in a way that you feel the emotions of the caged bird and the emotions of the free bird. The emotions that you fell are sorrow and depression from the caged bird and freedom and joy from the free bird. I admire this poem and Maya Angelou!
I think that Maya Angelou Is a very talented person, I think her poem “I know why the caged bird sings” is wonderful. The word “cage” she uses I think means the cage that people put themselves in when they are depressed.
Maya Angelou is an amazing author and she uses her poems to explain life. For example her poem” The Cage Bird Sings” tells me to be respectful to all nature and life. The cage I think represents life how you are restricted with everything you do. The bird in the cage I think represents all people who are trapped in the mistakes of life and have to be patient until there mistakes have been paid for. I hope that Maya Angelou will make more poems that help us better understand life.
Maya Angelou is a great poet. In this poem, she wrote about being a caged bird with no freedom. I think she wrote this because she wants to make young adults open there eyes and realize that there are many was to be stuck or caged in your life such as getting addicted to alcohol, or drugs. You need to be cautious because if you get yourself caged or addicted to something it is hard to get free, and you could really mess up your life.
I think that the poem “I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings”, I think that Maya Angelou was trying to say that we don’t have to be in a real cage to be trapped. We can be trapped with work, school, sports, and all types of things that can put you under stress and make you feel like your in a cage and it will take a lot to get out.
I really liked the poem “I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings” was extremely good! The point that I think she was trying to make is that teenagers are sometimes like a caged in bird. We all try to seek for freedom and independence. A cage could refer to being addicted to some thing or an it is hard to get free.
Maya Angelou
I think that Maya Angelou is a wonderful poet. I think the poem “The Cage Bird Sings” is about people fighting for what they believe. Even though they were hit and put do, they still fought. I also think it means that you should never give up on any think. You should fight for what you think is right. A cage is something that tries to hold you back from what you wont to do.
In the poem she describes a person as a caged bird, trapped in this barrier. I think that Maya Angelou wrote this to convince young adults to stay away from the bad things in life that may tend to form a cage around you and limit your abillities. But the question that is being asked is whether other people put this “cage” on us or if we brought it on ourselves. Another thing is if this cage is an emotional barrier. Also visualizing a prisoner who is trapped in his cell and nothing to do with his life so he opens his mouth to sing about freedom.
Well first of all I think Maya Angelou is an amazing poet. In the poem “I know why the cage bird sings”, I think Maya Angelou is comparing a free bird to a free young teen, and a caged bird to a freedom less teen. I think this hypothesis is amazing. I have never herd a poem like this before. And I am looking forward to reading another poem like this!
Maya Angelou
My thoughts about Maya Angelou are that she is a wonderful poet. “Caged bird sings” was a great poem that explained how a person feels being caged like a bird and only has its voice. On the other hand it explains how a bird feels, when a bird is free and can fly in the sky. With nothing holding it back. This poem is based a metaphors of a person maybe feeling depression, guilt, physical disabilities. It’s a great poem with many emotions. Caged is when you are unable to do something. Her poem told people that you should never give up. Your poem is great Maya Angelou. You inspired me.
Novia
The poem ”I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” meant alot to me. She was talking about being caged. And that could mean getting injered and not being able to do the things you love. Or being to obsessed with alcohol or drugs, and not being able to acomplish your goals.
I like Maya Angelou’s poems she is a great writer. When I read her poem it was like she was talking a person being trapped. It was like she was talking to someone that is trapped and wants to be free. They want freedom and the cage is like a jail and the bird is the person and they are trapped and they want to get out in the world and not be trapped under all of the things that went wrong in their lives.
I think that Maya is an excellent poet and that this poem “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” is a poem that moves people by telling of a bird in cage that can only sing of freedom because it’s wings are clipped and it’s feet are tied. Then it tells of a bird that is free and claims the sky as its own. This I think is telling of a person that is caged by their depression, debt, or addiction to drugs and wanting to be free of their cage.
I think Maya Angelou has does not care who you are and thinks everybody deserves to be treated fair. I think the caged bird resembles how higher authority holds everybody back. She makes you feel like it is your life or someone close to your. I think she is the best poet I have ever heard.
I think Maya Angelou is a great poet. You can tell she speaks from what she knows. I think sometimes we all feel like we’re caged at one point or another. She writes as if the bird is a teenager trying to break free. Everyone wants freedom when they are teenagers.
I think Maya Angelou is a excellent poet. ” I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings” is a great poem. She writes about being caged. That could mean being addicted to drugs or alcohol, or being injured. I think this is the best poem that I have ever heard.
I think that Maya Angelou Is one of the best. The poem “I know Why the Caged Bird Sings” might inspire many people that live on the insides and don’t explore. They need to because the world is beautiful.
I really enjoyed her poems and in all of her poems she gives important messages and I think she is just a good writer. I think that she uses “cage” in her poem to all the youth who had really bad feelings for someone and cannot express them the way that they want to. I think that she was trying to tell the youth to just let all your feelings out to people even though it might be hard. Never hold back any feelings.
I think Maya Angelou is the one of the greatest authors. In her poem “Pledge for Youth”, she tells a message of freedom. I think the word “cage” represents someone who has bottled up emotions inside. The cage is holding them from getting social with friends and other activities.
I think Maya Angelou is one of the greatest poets. The message of Pledge Four Our Youth was ‘freedom is very important’. Also the message for’ I Know Why the Caged Birds Sings’ is that everyone can’t always do the things they want to do.
Maya Angelou may not be the type of writer that I prefer but I think that she is a great writer. I think that in her poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” she was trying to describe life. How alot of people are trapped from their dreams.
Maya Angelou’s poem, “I know Why the Caged bird Sings” was a beautifully written piece. It inspired me to never let life “cage” you or restrict you from your freedoms. I think the message Maya Angelou was trying to tell youth was that you should never hold your feelings back or your dreams because many bad things can become of your life if you do. Most of all I think that she was trying to say you could become caged in if you don’t let your feelings out.
To start with Maya Angelou is a very good writer. She relates some of her poems to her life. That makes it very, very deep and emotional. I love poems that relate to peoples lives. You get to know how they spent their child hood.In the poem “I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings” caged bird is a metaphor for things that set you back in life. Like drug addictions, pregnancy and stuff like that. The metaphor for free bird is when some one doesn’t have any thing holding them back, like they’re free.
I think that Maya Angelou is a great writer and I really enjoyed reading her poetry. When she wrote the “Pledge for Youth” she was trying to send the message that our youth needs clean schools, and an education, and descant wage jobs. And that our youth should stick together and be leaders in this world, and our youth shouldn’t be afraid to try bigger and better things.
I think that Maya Angelou is the best poet for several reasons. I think that she is the best poet is because she wrote the poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She also wrote another poem called A Pledge to Rescue Our Youth about how people treat other people badly because they do not like the other person’s color. She writes about the things that she thinks that should be done to make your life and other people’s lives better. She talks about life and death in the war right now and that we should honor the soldiers that fight for what they believe in.
I think the word “caged” in Maya Angelou’s poem is talking about how someone’s freedom was taking from them by a certain incident that happened and its still affecting them. My opinions on Maya Angelou’s other poem “Pledge for Youth” are I think she was just trying to let the youth know never hold your feelings back, always express your thoughts and feelings.
I think Maya Angelou is a great writer. I really enjoyed the two poems I read of hers. “A Pledge To Rescue Our Youth” was very good and it seemed like it had something to offer people of color, but it was so much deeper than that. It also had to do with what we should have like, nice schools, safe streets and jobs that make use of your skills. I was very touched by that poem. I also liked “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. It had to do with two different kinds of birds. They are a caged bird and a free bird. I think that relates to people. A “caged bird” might relate to an addiction, issues, poverty and other things. She is a wonderful writer.
Maya Angelou is a great writer. She writes a lot about freedom. Her poem I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a poem that talks about a bird and how its in a cage and how its out free, that’s like being caged in real life such as being caged in from addictions, poverty, health issues, mental issues, and discrimination.
I think Maya Angelou is a great person and she sends people a very good message. She in my eyes is a great person and a person who is doing her share to help make the world a better place to live. One example of her wonderful way with words was how she wrote “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” in that she created a giant metaphor comparing life to a caged bird.
Maya Angelou wrote very nice poems. They talked about how people are put into cages by many things. Some of the cages are addictions, poverty and health issues. This poem cut really deep by saying that talking about people’s problems. Once you are in a cage, your wings are clipped and it’s hard to get out.
I think that Maya Angelou is an excellent writer, expecailly after reading the poem, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. It reflects on people that have had things and other people holding them back. This poem tries to tell people that they should be careful with what they do so they do not get trapped in something they don’t want to be in.
I think that Maya Angelou’s poetry is very inspirational and informing. She talks about the big issues that go on in everyday life. Because many people get “caged” in their life at one time or another. I think her message is important, it makes you stop and think a bit. When I read the cage I thought about how people get hooked on drugs and alcohol. Your social status can hold you back also.
I think Maya Angelou is an ok writer. She knows what she is writing about. I think her message is that you should be yourself and express your feelings. I think the idea of cage is that someone or something is stuck in a place or situation that they do not like.
-K.B.