I KNOW what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals —
I know what the caged bird feels!
I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting —
I know why he beats his wing!
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!
"But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core."
This quote means that he is praying to be freed. He no longer wants to caged up in prison anymore. He's hoping that he will get out soon and that prayer will lead him out somehow.
"I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars."
This quote means that he is beating on the cell to get out of the bars. He doesn't want to be behind the cell bars anymore, so he is pleading to get out. No matter what it takes.
"For he must fly back to his perch and cling."
I think that this quote means that he has to go back to his cell. I'm not sure but from what the quote says, that's what i'm guessing.
My opinion of the poem:
I like the poem because it was not that long. The most important part is the way he used his words. Also how he used the literary devices. I liked how he used his similies, metaphors, rhyme, imagery, and repitition. He was very clever with his words. That made the poem interesting to read.
(:
Similie-The river flows like a stream of glass.
Metaphor- Caged birds= slaves or African Americans are not FREE.
Rhyme- Alas, grass, and glass.
Imagery- First bird sings (hearing) and the firsr bud opes (sight), and the faint perfume from (smell).
Repitition- I know what the caged bird feels.
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals —
I know what the caged bird feels!
I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting —
I know why he beats his wing!
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!
"But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core."
This quote means that he is praying to be freed. He no longer wants to caged up in prison anymore. He's hoping that he will get out soon and that prayer will lead him out somehow.
"I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars."
This quote means that he is beating on the cell to get out of the bars. He doesn't want to be behind the cell bars anymore, so he is pleading to get out. No matter what it takes.
"For he must fly back to his perch and cling."
I think that this quote means that he has to go back to his cell. I'm not sure but from what the quote says, that's what i'm guessing.
My opinion of the poem:
I like the poem because it was not that long. The most important part is the way he used his words. Also how he used the literary devices. I liked how he used his similies, metaphors, rhyme, imagery, and repitition. He was very clever with his words. That made the poem interesting to read.
(:
Similie-The river flows like a stream of glass.
Metaphor- Caged birds= slaves or African Americans are not FREE.
Rhyme- Alas, grass, and glass.
Imagery- First bird sings (hearing) and the firsr bud opes (sight), and the faint perfume from (smell).
Repitition- I know what the caged bird feels.
