I Know Why …
October 3, 2007 at 11:41 am lostgirlfound 5 comments
I love Maya Angelou! Her poetry and persona has long inspired me. I came across this poem again in my sixth-grader’s assignments today, and it spoke to me in a whole new way, considering the spiritual journey I have been on.
I also posted this on personal blog but knowing many of you are on a similar spiritual journey, I thought I would share it here, too.
Caged Bird (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 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 the 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
To me, organized religion has become little more than a pretty cage. To quote one of my favorite philosophers, Forrest Gump, “That’s all I got to say about that.”
– lostgirlfound
Entry filed under: lostgirlfound. Tags: christianity, freethinking, religion, skepticism, spirituality.
1.
LeoPardus | October 3, 2007 at 1:28 pm
I like this. I admit that I’m no aficionado of poetry, but I do occasionally find one I like.
It occurs to me that someone with musical talent, who could create the right sort of tune, could make a gorgeous song with these lyrics.
2.
Brett | October 3, 2007 at 1:40 pm
It’s amazing how organized religion normally does a much better job at hiding the freedom we find in Christ than pointing the way toward it.
3.
HeIsSailing | October 3, 2007 at 9:34 pm
LeoPardus saith thusly:
It definitely has a rhythm to it. I hummed a tune to it, but it was too childish a cadence. This poem and the gorgeous melody I imagine it could contain remind me of an old song by Yes called “To Be Over”. Except that lyric is a little more esoteric and yet still somehow resolves itself.
http://www.lyricsdepot.com/yes/to-be-over.html
4.
watch lost episodes | October 7, 2010 at 1:30 am
I was thinking regarding this just this evening…. and voila, I’m reading about it right now on your blog. Coincidence or what?
5.
Tassilyn | October 20, 2011 at 5:03 pm
You Sir/Madam are the enemy of confusion evewrhyree!