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Episode 90: Freedom


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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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Virtual PauseBy Angie Winn

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