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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing
Maya Angelou was a great 21st century poet. She has a wide selection of poetry to choose from. One of my favorite is "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing". This poem bring about many ideas and thoughts, there is not just one meaning. The poem is about the repression of African American race, segregation, and freedom.
Maya Angelou wrote " I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing," at the end of the American Civil Rights movement. This poem is about two birds one is trapped in a cage and one is flying free. The one trapped in the cage is a metaphor for black people. The bird that is flying free is a metaphor for white people.
Maya Angelou illustrates how the free bird, or a metaphor for the white race, is untroubled. It also shows how the white race has the audacity to own and govern society unjustly. She states ''(the free bird) dares to claim the sky." This shows how whites demonstrated discrimination and prejudice toward blacks. Unfortunately, this deplorable conduct was condoned in society.
Maya Angelou describes the actions of the caged bird, or the black people. She states on lines 8. 9, 10 and 11," But a caged bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage." This shows the anger and frustration blacks were forced to endure. Black people were mistreated because they were different and thought of as not equals. She also states on lines 1 and 2 ," The free bird leaps on the back of the wind…,". She is saying that whites believed they were better than other races due to the racisms in a segregated America.
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing" is about freedom, segregation, the repression of black people. In the poem, it is stated on line 12, 13, and 14 that "his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing." This is implying that even though this bird is trapped, it still has hope. The bird

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