The caged bird sings no more | Teen Ink

The caged bird sings no more

September 7, 2014
By KaavyaM SILVER, Hyderabad, Other
KaavyaM SILVER, Hyderabad, Other
9 articles 1 photo 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.


Attention, let us bow our heads

And listen to the silence.

The piercing silence.

Do you hear it?

It is the sound of the empty cage

Devoid of song

For the caged bird sings no more.

 

The caged bird sang of hope,

And the caged bird sang of liberty

For within this cage that we call life

She lived as though she were free

She danced, fearless and bold.

She dreamed, unencumbered by bars,

And within this cage that we call life,

She lived as free as could be

 

She is still here,

In the songs we sing,

In the swish of a wing

In the laugh free of fear

That reverberates,

As hers once did,

 

And sometimes, sometimes

When we strain our ears,

We hear the unearthly music

Haunting and clear,

The music of a free bird.


The author's comments:

This piece is a tribute to Maya Angelou, who is one of my favourite poets. It's based on "I know why the Caged Bird sings.", which is one of her most famous poems, and depicts Maya as the caged bird, who after death, is finally free. These are not necessarily my beliefs on death, but I thought it was a good idea for a poem. Let me know what you think.


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This article has 9 comments.


Beila BRONZE said...
on Apr. 6 2015 at 8:43 pm
Beila BRONZE, Palo Alto, California
3 articles 0 photos 516 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." -Mark Twain

I love Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird," and this is a beautiful response to her work. Your rhymes are beautiful and you've completely ensnared that feeling of losing hope and liberty that she wanted to convey. I think you would really enjoy this sonnet a friend of mine wrote called "A Eulogy to the Optimism of Youth," which you can read at this URL (take out spaces): teenink. com/poetry/sonnet/article/781079/A-Eulogy-to-the-Optimism-of-Youth/. Let me know what you think!

on Feb. 5 2015 at 6:05 pm
Ariel_Fluffyy SILVER, Los Angeles, California
7 articles 0 photos 54 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You May Encounter Many Defeats But You Must Not Be Defeated" By- Dr. Maya Angelou

This is a great poem. I enjoy reading it. I personally love Dr. Maya Angelou and the reason behind you wrote this is awesome.

on Jan. 14 2015 at 8:09 pm
MysticMusic ELITE, Waterloo, Other
116 articles 0 photos 118 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.&rdquo; -Mae West<br /> &quot;It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.&quot; - Leonardo Da Vinci

This is a great poem. I loved the imagery and symbolism. I especially especially loved your last two lines. They were absolutely amazing.

on Sep. 18 2014 at 8:01 pm
BThomas1313 SILVER, Vanceburg, Kentucky
5 articles 0 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;There are much greater things ahead than any we might leave behind&quot; ~C.S. Lewis

This is an amazing take on a poem I love as well. I think it's a great metaphor,  not only for Maya Angelou, but for any lost loved one who defies the definition of life itself.

on Sep. 16 2014 at 10:28 pm
Starlight99 BRONZE, Somewhere, Other
1 article 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&rsquo;ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. &ndash;Maya Angelou<br /> <br /> The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. &ndash;Mark Twain

This is really amazing :-) It is so haunting. 5\5

on Sep. 14 2014 at 4:17 pm
elycavill SILVER, Samobor, Other
5 articles 0 photos 186 comments

Favorite Quote:
Leave nothing but footprints,<br /> Take nothing but pictures,<br /> Kill nothing but time.

So damn' good, really good 'Haunting and clear', I enjoyed this piece so much! Good job!! 5/5*

on Sep. 13 2014 at 1:26 pm
Olivia-Atlet ELITE, Dardenne Prairie, Missouri
325 articles 10 photos 1165 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To these the past hath its phantoms,<br /> More real than solid earth;<br /> And to these death does not mean decay,<br /> But only another birth" <br /> - Isabella Banks

Amazing! The detail and expression in the voice of the caged bird is so profound! Great job, I really enjoyed this one, it brought me to smile, and cry a little bit. Bravo! :)

on Sep. 12 2014 at 2:32 pm
Gabrielleamar GOLD, New York, New York
11 articles 16 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Le vent se l&egrave;ve il faut tanter de vivre&quot; &ndash;Paul Val&egrave;ry

Hey, I really enjoyed this one, you should check out "comment faire le portrait d'un oiseau" by Jacques Prévert! (Btw I'm sure you could find an English translation online)

Ash24 SILVER said...
on Sep. 12 2014 at 8:09 am
Ash24 SILVER, Sydney, Other
5 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
A diamond is yet not a diamond, till it is pruned to make it shine!

That was something really nice.