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.
Understand
1. How is the free bird described? Quote from the first and fourth stanzas in your answer.
2. How is the caged bird described? Quote from the second, third, fifth and sixth in your answer.
3. What does the speaker mean when she says that the bird who is trapped sings ‘of things unknown / but longed for still’?
4. We learn that the caged bird’s ‘wings are clipped and his feet are tied’. What does this tell us about the bird’s freedom?
Explore
3 3
1. Discuss the metaphor presented in the poem ‘Caged Bird’. 2. Do you sympathise with the caged bird? Give reasons for your answer. 3. How is the theme of freedom explored in this poem?
4. Choose an image to accompany a reading of this poem. Describe the image you have chosen and explain why this image is a suitable accompaniment.
