I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou is one of my favorite poets.  Guess I'm in the kind of mood where I just want to read through some of her poems.

Here's one that sort of expresses how I'm feeling today:

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

by 

Maya Angelou

The free bird leaps

on the back of the wind

and floats downstream

till the current ends

and dips his wings

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 cage bird sings

with fearful trill

of the 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 cage 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 fearful trill

of the things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard on the distant hill

for the caged bird sings of freedom.