“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning”
- Maya Angelou (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings)
I first chanced upon the ‘Caged Bird’ while teaching a batch of 10th graders in an after school tuition class and boy was I taken from the very get-go!
The poem spoke of the idea of freedom for two races, the Black American and the White American. While one could do and act as he pleased, the other struggled to even be heard.
The poem is perfectly metaphoric of a free bird and a caged one. One that could soar heights and feel the warmth of the sun on its wings while the other held behind ‘bars of rage’ and despair, with a voice that trembled yet sung for freedom.
I loved the way Angelou used the metaphor of a bird, particularly a ‘caged bird’ to symbolize people imprisoned by their race, colour and possibly even their gender. But I often wondered whether there was more to it than just that. That I personally could never and would never understand the full depth of what she actually meant or what pain and persecution the Blacks have endured. And yet, I found myself relating to her words.
For me, it seemed to be about the freedom from hurt and pain; the freedom from thoughts of the mind; the freedom of learning and accepting my identity in the world. I found that through poetry and writing, I could say what I couldn’t say. It became my voice, and my path to freedom.
I am in no way trying to change the true meaning and interpretation of her poem or belittle the suffering and injustices meted out to the Blacks. I merely sought to find refuge in her words to fix a pain of my own. Right or wrong I can never say, but I do feel that this poem could be interpreted on more than race and colour or gender but also inclusive of the freedom from identity, orientation, alienation, injustice, anxiety, pain and hurt or even from negative thoughts of the mind.
Maya Angelou wrote this poem to bring up a cause for social disparity and racial injustice and how to be the voice of reason. Yet can we not connect with her words today as well? It’s the year 2020, and the world is still fighting for its freedom. Racism is still clearly prevalent though we seem to be battling through, alienation and anxiety are still prevalent, people are still struggling for their causes to be heard, for freedom!
Maya Angelou writes,“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”. So take this poem as you will, but do give it a read, it will help you give rise to hope like it did for me.
“Cage wide open,
A world of ease,
Yet clipped of wings,
A painful tease.”
If you haven’t read the poem yet do click on the link below,
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird
‘Caged Bird’ is a poem written by American poet, writer and civil rights activist,Maya Angelou.
Born, Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4th 1928, she derived her now famous nom du pen by combining her nickname Maya and her ex husband’s surname Angelos. Fondly know as the Black Woman’s Poet Laureate, Angelou penned the poem, ‘Caged Bird’ in her poetry collection, ‘Shaker, Why Don’t You Sing?’ (1983)- a collection of 28 poems. The poem is in reference to her first autobiographical book ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ (1969)
Maya Angelou passed away on May 28, 2014 but not without stirring the conscience of the world.
She believed in raising one’s voice to be heard, in expressing even when the dominant, stronger voices try to suppress or drown out the weaker ones.
She believed in never giving up, in putting up a fight no matter the situation or consequences.
She may have left this world but her voice still sounds to this day, be it for the cause of freedom from racist supremacy, women emancipation or for the freedom to speak and be heard.
She lived a life worth sharing, for a cause worth believing!
P.S- You could also read her series of seven autobiographical books starting with ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ (1969) which then continues in no particular chronological order with,
‘Gather Together in My Name’(1974)
‘Singin’ & Swingin’ & Getting Merry like Christmas’ (1976)
‘The Heart of a Woman’ (1981)
‘ All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes’ (1986)
‘A Song Flung Up to Heaven’ (2002)
‘Mom & Me & Mom’ (2013)
- Carolann Ruth Carrasco
Full time Faculty (ELTIS)