Our ears shall list thy story From bards who from thy root shall spring, and proudly tune their lyres to sing Of Ethiopia's glory.
The story of where they came from will not be forgotten and they’ll always sing about their freedom.
21 Matching Annotations
- Nov 2021
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library.duke.edu library.duke.edu
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
Relates to the cage birds feelings.
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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;
The caged bird represents black people being restrained. Possibly within slavery or just oppressing times. They constantly fight for freedom because they want to enjoy a life full of joy.
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I know what the caged bird feels,
this line reminds me of maya Angelou's poem.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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And the time will come when these shall dread The mem'ry of your face.
The author is saying they’ll regret arresting him one day.
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They'd charged him with the old, old crime, And set him fast in jail:
A black person getting unlawfully arrested
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask.
this could symbolize one of two thing things, either that people hide who they truly are to be accepted by society or out of fear
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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A shy and hidden bird is warbling a song.
Whitman is reffering to the bird as shy and hidden because it won't reveal itself. But, if the bird was truly shy it wouldn't be warbling song with those near.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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Shedding the blood of bloodless crimes—
He's alluding to slavery and the suffering black people had to go through for basically nothing.
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I am the Smoke King
I think him being the smoke king signifies the color of his skin. the next line says he's black so theres a clear connection between the two in the poem.
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www.ciscohouston.com www.ciscohouston.com
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Well this story has no moral And this story has got no end Well the story just goes to show you women That there ain’t no good in men He was her man, but he done her wrong
It's interesting to see a song sung by a man that's sort of uplifting and helping women for the time the song it wa created.
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genius.com genius.com
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Many thousands gone
The many thousand she could be reffering to are the thousands of slaves that lost their life to slavery.
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No more driver's lash for meNo more, no moreNo more driver's lash for me
She's now a free woman. Not a slave. So she will not be getting whipped anymore. The sorrow she's singing with in the song showcases how relieved she is.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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Leads by the hand her little child to bed, Half willing, half reluctant to be led,
the mother is of ourse leading her child to bed and the child doesn't want to sleep. Which is very iromic because as you get older many people want to sleep rather than be up.
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- Oct 2021
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www.blackpast.org www.blackpast.org
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I shall not presume to dwell at length on the associations that cluster about this day
He could be talking about the struggles that led to July 4th for black people?
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the difficulties to be overcome in getting from the latter to the former, are by no means slight
the latter is of course escaping slavery. he’s saying it wasn’t easy at all to do it,
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He who could address this audience without a quailing sensation, has stronger nerves than I have.
He’s extremely nervous to give this speech. Whoever could give it without being nervous has stronger nerves than him.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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he feeds on praise.
Whoever the author is speaking about loves getting praised for things they do and perhaps it motivates them?
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- Sep 2021
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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If ever two were one, then surely we.
It felt as though the two of them were completed when they were together.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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How soon, my Dear, death may my steps attend, How soon’t may be thy Lot to lose thy friend,
She may be saying she'll die during childbirth and the "lot" she's speaking of could be her family.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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Thy blemishes amend, if so I could: I wash’d thy face, but more defects I saw, And rubbing off a spot, still made a flaw.
She could possibly be talking about constantly changing parts in her book and none of it ever being perfect regardless of how many times she "wash'd" or changed it.
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