“The Cloud” a poem was written by P. B. Shelley, one of the greatest romantic poets. ‘The Cloud’ is written about the wonders of nature and its connection to life. It was first published on the 12th of July in 1820. The poem reflects the dynamics of nature. It illustrates the water cycle, changing the nature of time and its impacts on life. It’s major themes are natural beauty, mortality, and joy are the major themes of this poem. Throughout the poem, he personifies a cloud that acts as a mother to the earth, a nurse to the plants and then flies under the sky like bees. The poet beautifully presents natural objects as a community that acts in asymmetry to bring rain, thunder, hail, and snow on the earth. On a deeper level, the poet compares the cloud with human life which is constantly changing and recycling.
Whereas, “Caged Bird”, a poem that describes the opposing experiences between two birds: one bird is able to live in nature as it pleases, while a different caged bird suffers in captivity. Due to its profound suffering, the caged bird sings, both to cope with its circumstances and to express its own longing for freedom. As its title indicates, “Caged Bird” is concerned with both imprisonment and the innate urge for freedom. Despite being confined, the caged bird’s song is able to extend far past his physical conditions, thus serving as an apt metaphor for artistic expression even under oppression. “Caged Bird” can be fruitfully read as a poem that expresses the ongoing need for equality, particularly for Black Americans.
In conclusion, we can see that they both have the same goals, and transmit the same values and themes of freedom and resistance to the loss of freedom.
