Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3

Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19

2018

Caged Bird - Maya Angelou

Text of the poem

A free bird leaps

on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks

down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
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.

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn
and he names the sky his own

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.

Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com

 Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3
Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19
2018

Pre-reading:

What do the metaphors of cage and bird represent? Do they appear as antithesis of each other? If
listed together, what connotation does it bring?
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As a citizen of the world of today, how much do you think you are free? What does freedom mean to
you?
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While Reading:
First Impression:
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Second Reading:
Rhyme Scheme:
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Form:
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Reading for Meaning:

Annotation:
S.No. Words Literal Meaning Connotation/Effect
1. 1Leaps, floats, dips, dares
2. current
3. cage
2
.
4. 3bars of rage
5. wings
3 are clipped
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Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com

 Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3
Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19
2018

6. 4
fearful trill

7. 5
distant hill
.
Reading for Analysis
Who are the speaker and his persona? Can you discern a point of view here?
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Stanza 1
Notice the use and effect of action verbs.
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Notice the use and effect of the line starters.
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How do the two elements of nature affect the movement of the bird?‘
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At the end of the first stanza, what is the tone established by the narrator?
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Stanza 2
What contrast does the opening line present? What are the other contrasting elements in
this stanza ?
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Notice the use of active verbs as opposed to the passive verbs in this stanza. How much of
the control can the caged bird have on his life?
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Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com

 Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3
Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19
2018

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How has the cause of this consequence, ‘so he opens his throat to sing’ been presented? Is it
paradoxical?
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Notice the different effect of the alliteration of 'dip' and 'dare' in stanza one and 'bird' and 'bar'
in stanza two.

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Notice the different effect of the assonance of 'wing' and 'clip' in stanza two and 'wing' and 'dip'
in stanza one.

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What effect does the metaphor ‘his bars of rage’ manifest?

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Stanza 3
How does the mood develop in the third stanza?
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Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com

 Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3
Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19
2018

The stanza opens with the continuation of the action verb ‘ sings’. However, how has this
action been presented here? What is the irony here?
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List the choices which have been denied to the caged bird .
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Stanza 4

Notice the change in the length of lines and use of long vowels here. What effect do they
render to the tone?
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Instead of singing freely and merrily, the free bird has been presented as dreaming. There
are other images of lucrative life beyond the horizon. Discuss.
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How do the opportunities that were inaccessible for the caged bird, open their arms for the
free bird?
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Compare the final line of stanza 4 with the final line of stanza 1. What has changed?
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Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com

 Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3
Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19
2018

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Stanza 5
Like stanza 4, the lines are longer than the first three stanzas and use the long vowel
sounds. However, how do these vowels contrast with those used in the previous stanza?
[ Hint: grave, dreams, shadow, shouts, screams, nightmare, tied]
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Notice the effect of repetition of “his wings are clipped and his feet are tied/ so he opens his
throat to sing.”
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Stanza 6

Stanza 6 is a repetition of stanza 3. How does this repetition affect the theme ? Does it bring any
change in the tone? What might be the significance of the final word of poem as a contrast to
the title of the poem?

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Post Reading Reflection

With respect to the context of this poem, what are the thematic references you can make to the
political and social injustice?
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Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com

 Worksheet : Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 3
Cambridge O’ Level (2010) and IGCSE (0486) ,2017-19
2018

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How far do you see the extended metaphor of the caged bird manifested in the world of today?
Do you identify racism, sexism, ethnicity and sexual orientation (or any other paradigms) to be
barriers in one’s quest for life?
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Exam Style Questions:

1. Consider the ways in which Caged Bird presents ideas about social injustice and lack of liberty
2. Explore the ways in which Maya Angelou uses the caged bird’s metaphor to present her ideas.
3. Explore the ways in which the poet has used language and other poetic devices to present ideas in ...
(apply this question to any of the poems)

Student Worksheet: Caged Bird www.nijheer.wordpress.com