Page 89 - Lavender-B-7

c. What are some of the elements that are outside the bird’s cage?

i. sun ii. wind iii. river iv. all of them

2. 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!
a. Who is ‘he’ in these lines?

i. the caged bird ii. the free bird iii. the first bird iv. the poet

b. Where is ‘he’ now? And where does ‘he’ want to be?

c. What does the reference to ‘old, old scars’ suggest?

d. Why does ‘he’ beat his wings? What happens as a result?
3. But a prayer he sends from his heart’s deep core,

But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—

I know why the caged bird sings!
a. According to the speaker, what does the caged bird send out from his heart’s deep core?

b. What is the plea for?

i. freedom ii. well-being iii. good health iv. survival

c. Why does the speaker end the poem with the line ‘I know why the caged bird sings!’?

Time to think and answer

1. What does the ‘cage’ in the poem represent? life skill analytical thinking
2. Why do you think the poem has the title ‘Sympathy’?

3. Can you relate to this poem? Why or why not?

Time to enjoy

1. How does Paul Laurence Dunbar use symbolism in the poem? Explore how the symbolism
contributes to the overall meaning of the poem.

2. When a phrase or a line is repeated at intervals within a poem, especially at the end of a
stanza, we call it a refrain. Since refrains are generally repeated at regular intervals, it gives a
sense of rhythm to the poem. What is the effect of using refrain in ‘Sympathy’?

3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

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