CAGED BIRD

RHYME SCHEME

POETIC ELEMENTS

• Rhyming (cage, rage; trill, still, hill)
• Metaphor (caged bird- a person wanting freedom)
• Personification (his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream)
• Imagery (1st stanza- dips his wing in the orange sun rays)
• Alliteration (shadow shouts)

MEANING

• The two birds in the poem stand for freedom and
• oppression. The free bird represents a confident
• person that relished in their freedom. The caged
• bird stands for a person who isn't free. His wings
• Are clipped and his feet are tied, which stands

MEANING (CONT.)

• For the oppression. All the bird can do is
• sing, which represents voicing your concerns
• and standing up for what is right. Maya
• Angelou wrote this metaphor because
• of African American oppression during her time.