Section outline


  • EXPLORE / TŪHURA

    EXPLORE / TŪHURA learning intentions:

    • We are EXPLORING/FOCUSING poetic devices and poetry by interpreting how texts in Aotearoa New Zealand provide a lens on our unique cultural heritage.
    • We are EXPLORING poetry by recognising how texts have biases (e.g. political, material, and social) which inform their purposes

    Awhinatanga: Resilient Mindset

    Alex and Ashleigh with positive words

    Wänanga: Active Learner

    Kia ora whānau! 

    Today we delve into the world of Maya Angelou's powerful poem, "Caged Bird."

    Imagine a bird with clipped wings, longing for the endless sky. This poem uses beautiful imagery to explore themes of freedom and limitation.

    As we analyze "Caged Bird," we'll be looking closely at the language, uncovering the symbolism, and considering the speaker's voice.

    Get ready to whakamā te reo o te waiata (practice the language of the poem) and unlock its deeper meaning!


    Learning Intentions:

    • Students will analyse the symbolism and themes of freedom and oppression in Maya Angelou's poem "Caged Bird."
    • Students will develop close reading skills to identify figurative language and explore the poet's voice.
    • Students will consider the poem's broader message about resilience and the human spirit's yearning for freedom.
    • Students will create their own piece of writing expressing their thoughts on overcoming limitations.
    • Introduce the concept of whakawehi (challenge) and its connection to the caged bird's struggle.
    • Briefly discuss the importance of rangatiratanga (chieftainship, self-determination) in Māori culture, linking it to the theme of freedom.

    Success Criteria:

    • Students can explain the symbolic meaning of the caged bird in the poem.
    • Students can identify and analyze examples of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification) used in the poem.
    • Students can explain the speaker's voice and how it contributes to the poem's message.

    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.