Wednesday, April 3, 2013

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

 
                                 
I KNOW what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals —
I know what the caged bird feels! I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting —
I know why he beats his wing! I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!     
  


Paul Laurence Dunbar


"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" is a very good book by Maya Angelou but did you know that it was inspired by this excellent poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar?  If you click on his name above, that will take you to a website that has several of his poems listed along with his biography. I find his connection with the Wright Brothers fascinating . It appeals to me that this poet wrote of the love of freedom through birds and the Wright Brothers pioneered the freedom to fly that we enjoy today.

Our cherry trees are in full bloom just now and this photo with the cardinal was taken yesterday in our own front yard!  My header photo was the sunrise from this morning with the cherry tree in the foreground, also in our front yard. (You might recognize the pine trees from past sunrises.)
With all the rain that we have had, the cherry trees are their finest...frilly and light pink, just beautiful.    RICHARD TOOK THE PHOTOS, OF COURSE!!  :-)
 
The poem is really about freedom and besides thinking of the poet I am also thinking of Col Ben Purcell and Ryan Ferguson,  men that I have written about before.
         
Love And Freedom post    Ryan Ferguson post       Click on those and read them if you can and maybe you will see why I am reminded of those posts.  

35 comments:

  1. I remember that sweet old song from church-It is a beautiful! xo Diana

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    1. Oh, I did not know that this was a song, I don't know that we have ever sung it at our church. Thank you so much for telling me! xx

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  2. Both your header photo and the one with the cardinal are sooo beautiful! I think I must come over to Georgia if I ever want to see any real spring this year - we're still miles away from blossoms on cherry trees...

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    1. And Meike, you would also LOVE all the yellow on Arabia just now...the jasmine, the yellow flowers on the rabbit-ears, just so incredibly beautiful!
      Our cherry trees liked all the rain and Richard has taken lots of photos! xx

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  3. Richard has a very good eye for birds.....

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    1. Whoo Yoo!! I am so pleased to see this comment!
      I am just English enough to get the reference to birds, and I thank you! :-)

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  4. That is such a sweet photo of the cardinal; one of my favourite backyard visitors! And I love cherry trees. They are gorgeous when they are in bloom. I have a baby cherry tree growing in my garden. We planted it last year, and I am eager to see how it fared through its first Canadian winter. I'll know soon enough!

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    1. I have my fingers crossed for you for your baby cherry tree!!
      Our trees have been the best ever! Wait til you see, I must do a post about them!!

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  5. How nice it is that you have those lovely blossoms. I love the picture. Here it continues to be winter like. I feel like a caged bird. Hope your Thursday is a great one!

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    1. Hopefully, you will be free and on a beautiful bough very soon!!
      Take care and always look on the bright side! (Oh wait, I don't have tell you that!!! :-)

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  6. Great poem and great photos! The cardinal looks positively cheeky.

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    1. HA, he does look cheeky, the little scamp!!
      Thanks, Debra!

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  7. Beautiful photos, Kay - I absolutely love your header, just stunning.

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    1. Isn't that header amazing? The sunrise behind the trees just took my breath away, and Richard captured it perfectly. xx

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  8. That poem is so lovely and sad! The pics are just lovely.

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    1. Thanks, Mimi. I love the work of this poet.

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  9. The photos are beautiful and particularly the one of the cardinal. The cherry blossom is only just about to bloom here though I read that, in Tokyo, they've had the earliest season ever - strange weather patterns around the world at the moment. Yes, you can tell I'm British - obsessed with weather! x

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    1. Do you see my photo at the right side in the Bluebells?
      That was taken in 2010 and the Bluebells were late that year, and that was the only reason I got to see them. We get there in May and we have JUST missed them,usually!
      I know the British weather, it is something to talk about! xx

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  10. Beautiful poem....Dunbar had such a sad life. But left many beautiful poems which are still touching his readers to this day.

    I've always loved cardinals! My state bird.

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    1. Yes, I so much admire his poetry!
      And cardinals! Oh, don't get me started, I love them so! xx :-)

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  11. Wow, such a pretty red bird! I've never seen it before, only blue and yellow ones.

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    1. You would LOVE this bird, the color is incredible, it is the most intense red you can imagine!!
      I love all birds!!!

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  12. I sure miss cardinals. And blue jays.

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  13. you have made me think of all the things, like freedom, music, birds, nature, singing, etc. that we all take for granted. great post!!

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    1. Thank you so much!
      We take so much for granted, things that are the most important!!

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  14. What a wonderful shot of that cardinal! I took one a few weeks ago and the bird was sitting in a mass of snowy branches! I would love to see a blossom on a tree! Hopefully some warmer weather will bring them out. I'm so sick of cold!

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    1. I remember that photo and I was so excited to see it, it was wonderful!!!!! (Not enough exclamation marks in the world for a cardinal against snow.)
      Hope your Spring gets here soon! xx

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  15. Maybe your cardinal and Harry Winston are cousins!!! Hee hee...

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    1. Perhaps this one is Harry Winston's HONORARY father!!
      (HA HA)

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  16. Hi Kay

    'A robin redbreast in a cage puts all heaven in a rage' Blake.

    Are you venturing over the Atlantic this year? It would be really good to see you again.

    Kind Regards

    Henry

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    1. Hey Henry!!
      I LOVE this quote from Blake, thank you for it! xx

      We still HOPE to come over! We have SUCH fond memories of visiting you and Sarah and your wonderful Mum & Dad. Give ALL our love! xxx

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    2. Hi Kay

      If you are thinking of coming over, you should know that Al Stewart is at the Albert in October. Autumn here often provides better weather than spring. In fact, winter was better than this spring to date.

      Kind regards from the gang across the water.

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  17. The photo is stunning and the poem powerful. I've never read it before. It really grips you, doesn't it?

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    1. Thanks, Kay, I think so too. And very happy you like Richard's photography! Aren't our husbands so talented and smart, after all they married their "Kay's, didn't they? ;-) xx

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