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.

Angelou, Maya. “Caged Bird by Maya Angelou.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird.

I chose this poem purely because of the title. The title did its job in being such a well written hook and drew me in like it does to most readers. The idea of a ‘caged bird’ brings about the idea of something being wrong. Caged has a typically negative connotation, often referring to being held somewhere against that things will. It is being imprisoned or captured, not a situation that most people would like to be put into. The idea of this negative connotation was used perfectly by Angelou. As a history nerd there are many examples of people caging others and Angelou using this to describe the African Americans during the Civil Rights movement was ingenious.

Angelou’s most prominent literary device is rather evident but holds a very heavy affect on the poem as a whole- imagery. Angelou refers to the African American community as the caged bird, the one attempting to escape, while a second bird roam free outside, the White community. Angelou states towards the end of the poem, “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.” (Angelou 23-26). The bird, evidently trapped and in distress, can do nothing but open its mouth. Angelou is speaking as the entire African American community when she mentions that the community can do nothing but speak. They could not do much in terms of proper actions as that was just how things were. They were forced to resort to using their words and rallying together to make a difference.

That is the message that Angelou is then trying to make clear anyone reading her poem. As the last line of her poem states, “for the caged bird / sings of freedom.” (Angelou 37-38. Freedom is all they can work towards, and with their words is all they have. The entire poem is about only being able to speak up, but using those few words to make such a different. It is a beautiful poem about finding identity and Angelou is absolutely validated to write about this. It is also ironic as it refers back to how she went mute as a child and is now using words as her weapon. It is a delicately written poem that embraces exactly what it wishes to and speaks the words the bird sings, words of freedom.

Maya Angelou was an African American writer and actor known for her Civil Rights themed works. She grew up in Arkansas with her grandparents due to her parents splitting apart when she was young. She grew up with a large mix of traumas that included being raped by her mother’s boyfriend at 7, only for her uncle to then kill her mother’s boyfriend. She lived as mute for several years after the instance.

During WWII she moved to California where she made advancements in the Civil Rights world including being the first African American cable car conductor. She would become an actress and have parts in many movies and Broadway shows. She was awarded a Tony in 1973 along with an Emmy in 1977 for her works. In regards to the Civil Rights movement, Angelou also was close friends with both Martin Luther King Jr. as well as Malcom X. She assisted them in starting up movements and spurring on the movement to its victory. She was also close allies with Barrack Obama during his presidency.

She died in May of 2014 and many famous people around the world offered tribute to her in forms of reciting her poems or choice words. She died due to health issues that had been occurring, but her death was still traumatic to those who adored her.

“Maya Angelou.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 31 Jan. 2020, http://www.biography.com/writer/maya-angelou.

By: Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.

II
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
   Someone had blundered.
   Theirs not to make reply,
   Theirs not to reason why,
   Theirs but to do and die.
   Into the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.

III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
   Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
   Rode the six hundred.

IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
   All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
   Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
   Not the six hundred.

V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
   Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
   Left of six hundred.

VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
   All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
   Noble six hundred

I chose this poem because of the title and the author. I love the title of this poem, it just draws you towards it. It makes you want to read about such a thing. I have always loved history and hearing about battles so hearing “charge” and “brigade” in one sentence automatically appeals to me as a pretty epic story waiting to be told. I also have read other works by Alfred Lord Tennyson and loved them, my favourite being “In Memoriam” which I discuss in the backstory on my other post. I find him a rather beautiful writer and he portrays the story he wishes by painting such a vivid picture in the mind. Tennyson definitely is among one of my favourite poets so getting the chance to delve into one I have not read yet was something I jumped straight onto.

The poem recounts the rather risky charge that a British brigade made during the Crimean War. Tennyson was not a soldier himself, but he was able to turn this event into a glorious poem. He uses repetition in something “the six hundered” (lines 8, 17, 26, 49, 55). The repetition gives the affect of a closure to the passage, a neat wrap up, a gentle conclusion to the stanza. Tennyson uses a strange repeat of rhyming too. Some of the lines rhyme while other do not. For example, in the third stanza, lines 18-20 all rhyme but then lines 22, 23, and 25 rhyme. It adds a sense of pattern and flow, similar to how a military march would, but then the breaks show how it does not always go so smoothly. Fights do always work out how either side wish for them to so the breaks in pattern are able to portray that just through words.

Tennyson uses a lot of imagery in his poem. In stanza four he has “Flashes all their sabres bare, Flashes as they turned in the air; Sabbering the gunners there, charging an army.” (Lines 27-30). Tennyson aims to use these descriptive words to try and emphasize the picture of the battle itself. Rather than just retelling a story he is painting a picture in the minds of the readers. His imagery is very well done and is able to convey what the wishes to rather perfectly.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson. “The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord…” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45319/the-charge-of-the-light-brigade.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was a Victorian-era writer who resided in the country of England. He was born 4th in the line of 12 to his father, clergyman George Clayton Tennyson. His father, who detested his lively hood, slandered the family name with his ways. His family struggled through many things. Epilepsy ran in the family. All of his siblings suffered with the disease and it put a heavy strain on Alfred’s childhood.

Alfred would write to escape the chaos that was his life. As a young child he would make up stories, allowing his mind to wander as he walked about. He published his first book of poems just before his 18th birthday which also had works by two of his brothers. Although few copies sold, the fact that any sold at all would be the defining fact in locking Alfred’s passion into place.

Alfred attended Trinity College in Cambridge where he quickly became among the popular group of boys. Due to this, he started to write. His friends who surrounded him gave him the motivation and drive to do so and so he owes credit to them for such actions. He wrote his poem “Timbuctoo” and won the chancellor’s prize in 1829.

His father died in 1831, causing him to put a pause on his education. Many told him to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the clergy, but he denied them all. He continued to publish works and finally in 1850 with “In Memoriam” did he hit a high. The poem recounted the feelings Tennyson had for his best friend, Hallam, who was a lover of his sister and a family friend and who had died back in 1833.

This poem led him to become close friends with none other then Queen Victoria who found comfort in the book. He would enjoy his fame for years before retiring to Aldworth for privacy and some calm. Tennyson would die October 6, 1892, due to a horrible grout infection. However, his poetry continued to thrive, even with its writer now gone.


“Alfred Tennyson.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 4 Oct. 2019, http://www.biography.com/writer/alfred-tennyson

“Alfred, Lord Tennyson.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/alfred-tennyson.

Thomas/Popperfoto, Bob. “Colour Illustration, Literature, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, English Poet.” Getty Images, http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/colour-illustration-literature-alfred-lord-tennyson-english-news-photo/79035928.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.