For example, “sun” and “sky” at the end of stanza one and “cage / can” in lines three and four of stanza two. Alliteration: another form of repetition, but one that is solely focused on the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of multiple words.Additionally, readers should take note of the instances in which the poet makes use of half-rhyme.Īngelou makes use of several literary devices in ‘ Caged Bird.’ These include but are not limited to: This plays into the content of the caged bird and the free bird. Iambs are also generally referred to as “rising” feet when the second syllable is stressed. This adds to the overall musicality of the poem. But, there are some examples of an iambic meter. This means that there is no single rhyme scheme or metrical pattern that unites all the lines. Angelou chose to write the poem in free verse. ‘Caged Bird’ by Maya Angelou is a six-stanza poem that is separated into stanzas that range in length. The bird sings from a place of sadness rather than joy to convey a broader history of sorrow.

Angelou is alluding to the lived experience of millions of men, women, and children since the beginning of time and the variety of oppressive tactics, whether physical, mental, or economic, employed by those in power.īlack men, women, and children see “through…bars” while the free bird sores in the sky. The caged bird is an extended metaphor for the Black community in America and worldwide. These themes are all wrapped together in ‘Caged Bird’ through Angelou’s depiction of the two birds, one free and one caged. These include racial oppression, freedom/captivity, and happiness/sorrow.

‘Caged Bird’ is filled with powerful themes. The poem concludes with the caged bird singing once more as the poet repeats the third stanza in its entirety. Once more, the speaker reiterates the fact that the bird feels as though it owns the sky. It sings for its freedom, and everyone, even far distant, can hear its song.Īll the while, the free bird is focused on the breeze, the sounds the trees make, and the words in the ground he’s planning on eating. All it can do is sing fearfully of what it wants and does not know. Its wings are clipped, and its feet are tied together. On the other hand, the caged bird can barely move in its prison. The free bird flies around the wind currents, feeling like the sky belongs to him. ‘Caged Bird’ by Maya Angelou is an incredibly important poem in which the poet describes the experience of two different birds, one free and one caged.

Maya and the rising dark 2