Caged Bird – Poem by 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 his tune is heard
on the distant hill
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
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
< check out the other entries in The Daily Post Photo Challenge
Figments of a DuTchess 
Great poem for the photo, which looks to be a Cormorant. In China and Japan, fishermen tie a snare near the base of the bird’s throat. This prevents the birds from swallowing larger fish, which are held in their throat, but the birds can swallow smaller fish. When a cormorant has caught a fish in its throat, the fisherman brings the bird back to the boat and has the bird spit the fish up. Though cormorant fishing once was a successful industry, its primary use today is to serve the tourism industry.
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It indeed is a cormorant, Charly. And they do that to those birds? Sounds like a very frustrating way of cormorant life, never being able to swallow their big catch. To feed the hungry, a tiny OK, but for tourism? No. Free those birds!
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Free all the birds!! (ha) Love this poem. Hot, cold. Love, sadness. Up, Down. Perfect.
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I would love to read more poetry, Claudia. Could you recommend a writer, or site, or book?
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I wish I were more a poet than a fiction writer. I will ask my poet twin sister (born on the same day and same year but, alas, different parents!) and will get some ideas for BOTH of us!
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That would be great; many thanks in advance – also to your poet twin sister. 🙂
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I like your not-so-caged bird!
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Thank you, Susan, so do I. 🙂 Can you imagine standing that high on one leg…? 😉
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I can’t even manage one leg on terra firma!!
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Hehehe, we could always hold on to each other… or fall together 😀
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😀😀
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