June 19, 2023
Juneteenth is a reminder of real freedom. In this episode we
will look at places in our lives where we keep ourselves captive and are not
free, where we keep others imprisoned through unforgiveness or control, and
where we may unknowingly be keeping a group or the earth imprisoned because of
our own lack of self-reflection and honesty.
Our reading today is from Maya Angelou
Caged Bird
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.
Maya Angelou, “Caged Bird”
from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? Copyright
© 1983 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and
division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.
Source: The Complete Collected Poems of
Maya Angelou (Random House Inc., 1994)

Photo by Charles Postiaux on Unsplash

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