"You can cage the singer but not the song"--Harry Belafonte
"A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage"--William Blake
"Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage"--Richard Lovelace
"Each work has its own space, which should neither be conceived as a sort of cage nor regarded as extending to infinity."--Marino Marini
"My father always said,"Malala will be free as a bird."--Malala Yousafzai
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"A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage"--William Blake
"Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage"--Richard Lovelace
"Each work has its own space, which should neither be conceived as a sort of cage nor regarded as extending to infinity."--Marino Marini
"My father always said,"Malala will be free as a bird."--Malala Yousafzai
Midweek Motif ~ Two Souls: Caged and Free
There are many poems on this topic. But today I
have chosen only two with distinctly different notes: One by Maya Angelou and
the other by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s one is originally a song done in
Bengali.
I have also included the song here, for anyone
interested in it.
What you have to do today is read the poems
closely and then write your own poem about either a free or a caged soul or
both.
So….Play with your words.
Two Birds
by Rabindranath Tagore
Cage-bird was in the golden cage, the forest-bird in the wood,
Whatever was the will of God a meeting between the two ensued.
Gushed forest-bird, “Dear cage-bird let’s fly together to the
green”.
Cage-bird whispered, “Forest-bird dear, let’s stay here quietly,
within”.
To which forest-bird shuddered, “Oh no, I will never be in
fetters”.
Cage-bird uttered, “Alas! How will I be out to the woods to be
better?”
Forest bird sat outside chirping all the wild notes.
Cage-bird sang the ditty only it had learnt by rote.
Forest bird said, “Let me see you sing the forest songs, dear.”
Cage-bird pleaded, “Why not learn the cage songs my love, here.”
“Oh no”, trilled the other one, “Dictated words are not for me”.
Cage-bird sighed, “Alas! Songs of the woods! How do I sing?”
One
said, “The sky is deep azure, nowhere is there a trace of a bar.”
The
other replied, “Neat is the cage, and how firm on all sides is the cover!”
Forest
bird chirped, “In the midst of the clouds, open out yourself free.”
“Tie
yourself safely to secluded home corner”, cage-bird cheeped.
Forest
bird refused, “Oh no, where’s there room to fly?”
The
other one murmured, “Alas! There’s no perch, up so high!”
Thus
these two loved each other but couldn’t get any closer,
In
between bars their beaks touched so did their mute stare.
Both
failed to grasp the other’s plight as well as their own.
They
only beat their wings; called each other to be close; forlorn.
Forest
bird cried “Oh no, who knows when shut will be the door”.
Cage-bird
sighed, “Alas! My wings have no strength to soar.”
Caged Bird
by Maya Angelou
A 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.
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.
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.
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 he names the sky his own
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.
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.
Please share your new poem using Mr. Linky below and visit others
in the spirit of the community
(Next week Susan's Midweek Motif will be ~ Teaching )
(Next week Susan's Midweek Motif will be ~ Teaching )
