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Sachem East English Department Name:_____________________________________ TKAM: PreReading Mrs. Faust “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” poem E I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou Notes The free bird leaps on the back Of the wind and floats downstream Till the current ends and dips his wing In the orange sun rays And dares to claim the sky. 5 But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage Can seldom see through his bars of rage His wings are clipped and his feet are tied So he opens his throat to sing. 10 The caged bird sings with fearful trill 1 Of the things unknown but longed for still And his tune is heard on the distant hill For the caged bird sings of freedom. 15 The free bird thinks of another breeze And the trade winds 2 soft through the sighing trees And the fat worms waiting on a dawnbright lawn And he names the sky his own. 20 But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream His wings are clipped and his feet are tied So he opens his throat to sing 25 The caged bird sings with a fearful trill Of things unknown but longed for still And his tune is heard on the distant hill For the caged bird sings of freedom. 30 1 trill: a warbling sound, bird song 2 trade winds: warm breeze used for sailing

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings WORKSHEET · 2013-11-06 · Title: Microsoft Word - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings WORKSHEET.docx Author: BONNIE FAUST Created Date: 2/23/2013 9:42:41

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Page 1: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings WORKSHEET · 2013-11-06 · Title: Microsoft Word - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings WORKSHEET.docx Author: BONNIE FAUST Created Date: 2/23/2013 9:42:41

Sachem  East  English  Department       Name:_____________________________________   TKAM:  Pre-­‐Reading                                           Mrs.  Faust                          

  “I  Know  Why  The  Caged  Bird  Sings”  poem  E  

I  Know  Why  The  Caged  Bird  Sings  -­‐Maya  Angelou  

                  Notes  

The  free  bird  leaps  on  the  back    Of  the  wind  and  floats  downstream  Till  the  current  ends  and  dips  his  wing  In  the  orange  sun  rays  And  dares  to  claim  the  sky.  5    But  a  bird  that  stalks  down  his  narrow  cage  Can  seldom  see  through  his  bars  of  rage  His  wings  are  clipped  and  his  feet  are  tied  So  he  opens  his  throat  to  sing.  10    The  caged  bird  sings  with  fearful  trill1  Of  the  things  unknown  but  longed  for  still  And  his  tune  is  heard  on  the  distant  hill    For  the  caged  bird  sings  of  freedom.  15    The  free  bird  thinks  of  another  breeze  And  the  trade  winds2  soft  through  the  sighing  trees  And  the  fat  worms  waiting  on  a  dawn-­‐bright  lawn  And  he  names  the  sky  his  own.  20    But  a  caged  bird  stands  on  the  grave  of  dreams  His  shadow  shouts  on  a  nightmare  scream  His  wings  are  clipped  and  his  feet  are  tied  So  he  opens  his  throat  to  sing  25    The  caged  bird  sings  with  a  fearful  trill  Of  things  unknown  but  longed  for  still  And  his  tune  is  heard  on  the  distant  hill  For  the  caged  bird  sings  of  freedom.    30            1trill:  a  warbling  sound,  bird  song  2trade  winds:  warm  breeze  used  for  sailing  

                                                                     

   

Page 2: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings WORKSHEET · 2013-11-06 · Title: Microsoft Word - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings WORKSHEET.docx Author: BONNIE FAUST Created Date: 2/23/2013 9:42:41

   

 

FREE  BIRD    1. In  stanzas  1  and  4  locate  the  underlined  phrases  that  describe  the  actions  of  the  FREE  bird.  What  do  you  think  these  phrases  mean?  Write  it  in  the  column  next  to  the  poem.  

 35  2. What  is  the  connotation  of  these  words  and  phrases  (overall,  what  is  the  feeling  you  get)?              40  3. What  is  life  like  for  the  FREE  bird?        

 45  

 CAGED  BIRD  

 4. In  stanzas  2,  5  and  6  locate  the  underlined  phrases  that  describe  the  actions  of  the  CAGED  bird.  What  do  you  think  these  phrases  mean?  Write  it  in  the  column  next  to  the  poem.  50  

 5. What  is  the  connotation  of  these  words  and  phrases  (overall,  what  is  the  feeling  you  get)?              55    6. What  is  life  like  for  the  CAGED  bird?        60      ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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