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.
-- Speaker (1-7)

Importance: This quote opens the poem, and it describes the actions of the free bird moving through the world. It is significant because it shows the freedom with which the bird can explore his surroundings and his ability to move in multiple different ways as he enjoys his flight.

But a bird that stalks / down his narrow cage / can seldom see through / his bars of rage
-- Speaker (8-11)

Importance: This quote follows the description of the free bird and serves as a contrast with the image of mobility present in the first stanza. These lines emphasize the captive nature of the caged bird and his inability even to see an alternative future within the confined space. Angelou is intentionally vague about the...