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 raysand 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.

Before The Road To Brazil – Free As A Bird (Conclusion)

“I gon give you five tousand dollars for that bird…now, now, now, man. Look it right here.”

Ignorant Rocks got-on one-a-dem-wind-breaker ah seein some chupid people does-be-wearin fuh-look-like-if dey dress-up in winter-coat in-a-dis hot, hot, G.T.

“Steeeuwpps! five tousand who?” …is d bird-cage-man suckin-e-teet.

“Like you fall-out your cradle, or wuh? You ain start calling price to buy this baby, bro. Not DIS one. I challenge any one yall to bring anything gon beat he to sing when he crank-up. If you want this one you better start talking price bro, I mean U.S. DOLLARS AND SENSE.”

“WUH!? U.S. WHO? fuh a damn towa-towa? Is YOU who fall pon your brains. You know the exchange fuh U.S. dese days? Look banna, res yuhself!”…is Ignorant Rocks lickin-e-lip an beatin-down-d-price…

“Yeah, he mad!” some-baddy else in d crowd holla-out; den-anada-one seh –

“Yeah! na ME U.S. dallas!”

An Ignorant Rocks sehin wit-e-wurds full-a-pain:

“Banna, if I had it, I would pay it for that bird. That is a sweet, sweet bird.”

A nex-man seh –

“Yeah, me too banna…I woulda pay it” an-e-lookin at dat-burd-in-d-cage wit-e-art-in-e-eye. The onliest bird could beat-out the towa-towa to whistle? must-be only the coduri – “

Eh-eh! Yuh-see since duh-man seh-so? D burd-cage-man pounce-pon-e:

“CO-DU-WHO? BOY you wild, or wuh? Not this chile – here I SHOWING-YUH –“
Okay, gimme dat burd…a-gat-a-ounce-a-goal…look-it-here. I gon buy it.

Ah doanno is-wuh fly-up in mih-ead, ah jus ear-mihself-tawkin like-if is na-me…is some-baddy-else in d crowd sehin-it. Ev-ry-baddy tun-rung fuh-see is-ou-seh-suh. An is simple-simple-so ah get in d-middle-d-bird-story; ah bargin-in-d-crowd, ah feelin-in-mih-pocket, an ah-haulin-out d-precious-goal ah wuk-so-ard-to-get.

“YOU!” Ignorant Rocks shout-out wen-e-recognize-mih, den-e-let-out one laaaang suck-teeth:

“Steeeeeuuwpps!”
Ah decide-fuh-ignore Ignorant Rocks… ah askin d-man-wit-d-burd-cage – yuh-gon-sell-mih…?

“You deaf or wuh budday? Ah-seh I AIN SELLING! And too-besides you deh-pon-skin-up…what ounce-a-gold you got?”

Dat is wen ah-tek-out-mih purso-stach; it wrap-up-in-a Bristol-cigarette-paypuh…tie-up wit-a corn-bag string. D rest-a-mih-kiddy safe in d emp-ty-inhaler dat ah useta-use since lang-time-in -d-back-dam-wid-Bage; it-gat d haff-ounce-an-two-penny-weight…it-deh deep-down in mih back-pack. Dis ounce is wuh ah did-meanin-to-sell to-buy-mih-supplies. Ah tekking-mih-time fuh-loose- out d-corn-bag-string…ah lissnin-d-people cussin-mih –

“Steeeeuwppps!”

“Doan worry wit he. He only dramas-in! What ounce of gold he got to throwaway-so.”

“Eh-heh! Is only pomp he pomping-scene!”

“But suppose d man got d gold –“

“I showing yuh – yuh wanto bet that banna ain got no ounce of gold?”

“Even-self he got it, is cage-bird he gon-buy wit it? Steeeuwpps!”

…is d crowd tawkin-so wile dey pressin-in tight-tight roun me-an-d-burd-cage-man; till-ah loose d-paypuh, an ah-expose-d-goal. D firse-ting-ah-ear sung-like-if d-crowd suck-in dey-bret, den aaall-togedda, dey let-out a laang suck-teeth…den quick-time wus Ignorant Rocks rite-up-unduh-mih…bussin-mih-eas-drum –

“HOLD IT!”

Ah-tun-arung….Eh-eh, watch-ow d-banna holin-out-e-and (like barricade) an commandin d- crowd –

“STAND BACK!”

Eh-eh! Like e-tink e-is some dam-police-man or some-ting. Still, ah ain diggin-e. Wen ah done-open-up-mih-kiddy slow, slow, all-dough-d-crowd grow, yuh-cudda-ear-a-pin-drop; evry-baddy get silent an dey pressin-in-closuh, fuh-see-wuh-gon-appen; all yuh-earin now is dem car-orn in d traffic by d market-square an den some-baddy-in-d-crowd leggo a suddun big-blass-a-laff. Den before any-baddy cudda-open-dey-mout? is Igorant Rocks again –

“HOLD IT! Anybody here know anything bout gold?” No-baddy in de crowd ain ansa-e.
“Well, I KNOW ABOUT GOLD, AND I SAY THAT THAT IS BRASS!”

Ah cudden be-leave, wuh-ah-hearin.

“I know this man too. He does plant farm in the bush he don’t work gold. He don’t know NOTHING about gold. Is a con! HE IS A CON-MAN!

“THIS MAN IS CONNING YOU BRO!” Ignorant Rocks seh, tunnin to d burd-cage man.

Buh befo-e-cudda-seh-anada-wurd, is Freebee comin-to-front from d-backa-d-crowd. E-ain-seh-a-wurd-at firse – e-jus-stan-up-starin-at-mih, wit-e yellow, malaria-eye pulpin-out-e-ead; den e start-beg-mih:

“NO, NO, NO, PLEASE DOAN DO IT, BRO!”

Jus den Freebee tun-pon Ignorant Rocks!

“SHUT-UP YUH SCUNT OSWALD! YOU BLEDDY-WELL KNOW…IS GOLD THE MAN GOT HERE!”

Den Freebee tun-back-to-me; dis time, e-tawkin-wit-out-stoppin; is like-if-e-drink- watuh-aftuh-haas, or e-mudduh-wipe-e-mout-wid-plate-clawt or some-ting –

“Paddo, doan-do-it-doan-do-it-doan-do-it…I gon catch five birds for you…just gimme half of what you got here…is A WHOLE YEAR I-man in-an-out, in-an-out the backdam…is malaria in me ski…malaria TEARING MY RASS…not cause I ain say nothing when I see you just-now…is pressure teach me pride budday…I mek-up my mind dat I ain bumming no more…ain stinging and begging no more…but AH BEGGING YOU NOW bro…I BROKE LIKE-A-RASS! Yes, brother…is me, is me, is me…the same ole Freebee, see? I didn’t look so? but is me, and now I throwing away my pride… APPEALING to you – Eh-eh! Like d-banna waan-fuh-cry now or-wuh?

“DON’T DO IT!” Freebee-seh.

Still, ah ignorin Freebee…ah watchin d-bird-cage-man…ah asking-e:

Yuh-waant-it-or-nat?

“Sheeeit! Is gold fuh-truth?”

“Naaah,” some-baddy in d crowd seh, “da is a whole lotta RASS!”

“Is BRASS ah tellin-yuh!” some-baddy-else holluh-out.
“IT IS GOLD YOU FOOLS!”…is Freebee snarlin-at-dem – so-viscious…d-crowd fall-back, an Freebee move-in even mo-closuh, wit-e-and-stretch-out-to-touch wile-e-still-tawkin; e-tawkin-tawkin; e-tawkin-all-ova-e-face, like-if d-feva fly-up-in-e-ead an e-wurds fulla-wonduh mix-up-wit-e-memo-rees bout a-time -lang-ago…
“It is gold…is Siparuni chip-gold; I remember when we strike-it – ev-ry day, every day was ten, twelve pennyweights, purso…was clean just like this…was fine-fine nuggets…we didn’t have to burn it…didn’t have to…”

“Here, you got a deal budday,”…is d burd-cage man, chuckin Freebee outa-d-way, snatchin-d-goal outa-mih-and, an shovin dat burd-cage at mih; den-e-jus-keep gettin-up wile-e-stokesin-way-d-goal-in-e-packet. Ah colleck mih burd an walk-away from d crowd dat watchin-mih-now an grumblin like-if I jus duh-dem-some-ting; soma-dem, includin Mistuh Ignorant Rocks, start-folluh-mih. Wen ah reach a lill distance-away, ah open d-burd-cage, ah stick-mih-finga -in-side, an-a-jus shoo-dat-burd-out-dat-cage.

Go burd, go!…gwon, FLY AWAY BURD, yuh free now!

Eh-eh! Is-ou tell-mih fuh-do-duh? Is-den-is wen-d-story-appen; is-sheer-ell gon bruk-loose by d-Stabroek-Market-Square today.

Firse, Ignorant Rocks fly-up-to-mih-face, an e-leggo one right-punch BUP! den quick-time – BUP-BUP! is anada, den-anada-wan in mih-face. Well, DA is ex-ac-ly-weh-ah-did-want-e, a laang-ago – man-to-man…face-to-face. Ah fall-back, buh a-didden fall-down; ah balance-mihself-quick, an ah start-dish some serious-blows in Ignorant Rocks skin; d-crowd start-scream, an dem mini-bus an moto-cyar onkin dey-orn fuh-pass, an –

Ah did-meanin-fun beat Ignorant Rocks till-e-saaaf today wen ah-ear-d-crowd-screamin:

POLICE! POLICE! POLICE COMING!
An-is-jus-so D-I – ME who ain do nutten to deserve it – end-up cage-up in-a-dis chokey in Brick-dam police-station an Ignorant Rocks walk-way free as a bird. Eh-heh, is simple-simple-suh….

The End.