Caged Birds & Anti-trafficking Words. (a poem & an index)

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. *Maya Angelou

The free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wings 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 the 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.

I’m starting (or attempting to start) this blog to share my own education and experiences dealing with freedom and the lack thereof. I’ve seen some crazy things with my eyeballs and felt even crazier things inside my ribcage. While many people might not feel that this subject relates to their situations in life, i heartily disagree. This relates to anyone and everyone who’s ever used the word “Freedom” and claimed to know what it means. It relates to everyone who’s ever wanted to use the word “Freedom” and wanted to know what it means. Humans were born to be free, and i was born to fight for a world where that might someday be true.

This entry serves as a poetic interlude and an index for the rest of this blog. The words of Maya Angelou have been important to me for quite some time, but when i read them in an anti-trafficking context, they began to breathe new life. The poem “Caged Bird” is one of my favorite collections of words and it has inspired all of the words you will read in this blog. You might tell me that this poem was not really written about modern-day slavery, but you cannot stop me from being inspired by it in this way! And you cannot take away the fact that i've heard the songs of caged birds around the world and i'm trying to do something about it. If you decide to follow my stream-of-consciousness waves of thought, the topics of this blog will include:
1.) Anti-trafficking conferences/events i’ve attended of late
2.) Current trafficking laws & the need for freedom to be written into our legislation
3.) The ‘shattered hearts’ of the American Indian women who’ve been trafficked
4.) Stories of survivors here in the Twin Cities
5.) The work of my super-hero co-workers at IJM
6.) The nasty problem of prostitution (leave your prejudice/assumptions at the door- this isn’t what you think) annnndd
7.) Whatever else pops into my crazy head

It is my hope that I can say at least one new thing to you and reveal it in a way that is somewhat unique. It’s my hope that I can learn & grow myself into a full-blown abolitionist. Journey with me, will you? Open your eyes. Clean out your ears. Remember the organ that beats in your chest. Then maybe someday we can all sing freedom.