Wednesday, August 31, 2011

What is the tone of the poem "Caged Bird"?

Certainly,
there is a poignancy to this poem. Much like Paul Dunbar's poem, "Sympathy," in which
he writes, "I know why the caged bird sings,"continues this motif of the caged bird
who sings in order to keep his spirit alive. 

his wings
are clipped and   
his feet are tied
so he opens
his throat to sing.
 
He
"opens his throat" in order to release the outpouring of feelings, his frustration,
his sorrow, his despair. He sings because he must, and yet he also sings for the same reason all
birds sing: they communicate with one another; for, somewhere there is a free bird who hears
this caged bird, so that vicariously the bird whose feet are tied can feel free, at least in
spirit. 
This poem evokes the sympathy of its reader for the bird who
cannot soar under the sun with the wind beneath his wings. Still, the bird's spirit is resilient
and the imprisoned bird expresses his desire to soar despite his bindings. The overall tone of
the poem is sorrowful, but persevering. href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird">https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird

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