A New Day

I know why the caged bird sings

A free bird leaps on the back Of the wind and floats downstream Till the current ends and dips her wing In the orange suns rays And dares to claim the sky.But a BIRD that stalks down her narrow cage Can seldom see through her bars of rage Her wings are clipped and her feet are tied So she opens her throat to sing.The caged bird sings with a fearful trill Of things unknown but longed for still And her 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 she names the sky her own. But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams Her shadow shouts on a nightmare scream Her wings are clipped and her feet are tied So she opens her throat to sing.The caged bird sings with A fearful trill of things unknown But longed for still and her Tune is heard on the distant hill For the caged bird sings of freedom.



Maya Angelou