REAL+Sympathy

Sympathy

I KNOW what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass, And the river flows like a stream of glass; When the first bird sings and the first bud opes, And the faint perfume from its chalice steals — I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing Till its blood is red on the cruel bars; For he must fly back to his perch and cling When he fain would be on the bough a-swing; And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars And they pulse again with a keener sting — I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,— When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings — I know why the caged bird sings!

THEME The theme of the poem is a man comparing the life of a trapped bird to his life of racism and being trapped not able to escape. SIMILE "And the river flows like a stream of class" PERSONIFICATION The bird in the poemis used to show that the man is trapped and cant get out like the bird.

1. In the second stanza what is the birds main activity? The bird is in the cage trying to flap his wings to escape.