Poem: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Scene: (pg. 104-105) Douglass’s excitement about freedom grows, and he makes observations about slavery. “I have now found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason.”
A bird stalks down a narrow cage,
He understands that his mind lacks the knowledge he deserves.
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied,
His capability is far greater than he was ever told.
He opens his throat to sing,
Threats of punishments loom over his head.
His tune is heard on the distant hill,
Still, he craves knowledge as a growing plant craves light.
The caged bird sings of freedom,
He knows what has been taken from him, and what he will take back.
And he dares to claim the sky.