I know why...

...the caged bird sings.


Haley and I sat down to do watercolors the other day. I had this picture in my mind of this regal wrought iron bird cage on a beautiful scrolled stand with the most darling bluebird sitting inside, singing.

What came out onto paper was elementary, to say the least.
It turned out terrible.
'Cause I'm no artist.

But, while I was looking down at the finished page, one of the most beautiful poems popped into my head.

I know why the caged bird sings
by Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns 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.



Beautiful words. Moving, don't you think?