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BANTAM BOOKS BY MAYA ANGELOU ASK YOUR BOOKSELLER FOR THOSE, THAT YOU Have MISSED ERNOW WHY THF. CAGED BIRD SINGS IATHER TOGRUT HR IN MY NAME SINGIN’ AND SWINGIN’ AND) GETTIN’ MERRY LAKE CIIRISTMAS THE HEART OF A WOMAN WOULDN'T TARE NOTHING POR MY JOURNEY NOW ISHALLNOW Bi MOVED. EWEN THE STARS LOOK LONESGMH | KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS Maya Angelou 9 DANY AY wouxs New York Trane Laanbn Splucy Auclant ite see 2 Sng! soy es Velde Talon eo he FMogscond “This honk is desicated to MY SON, GLY JOLINSON, and all he sang black birds of promise who dey the adds and gods anal sing their songs ACKNOWLEDGMENTS J thank sy mother, Vivion Baar. and my brother, Bailey Iuhuson, who Harlem Weters’ Guhl for cuncerus and to Joha €, Killens wwhis told me | eauld write, Te Nana Kebina Nkersia TY olin insisted chat Fonust. Lasting gratitude to Gerard Purcell who. altraged ane We remember, Thanks the Delieved concratey acu! wo Tony D'Amato who unrdessiond, ‘Thanks to Abbey Liacolu React for naming my hack. A Final 1 Hesse, Rebect Lenimis, who sjuatly prodded ene lich int Use lest year UUs ca may ertor at Rann "Whar you Hosking at me for? Tada’? carne en stay Mann'y so much Forgot as 1 cldn’e bring myself on remember. Cher things were mite iinjau ta “What you loohing at me Lor? 1 didn’t conn to way Whether | could remember dhe cese of che poem or noc was immstercal, The eruth of che setement was like a wadded-up hondkerchief, sopping wer in my tise, and the sooner accepted it the quicker I cond lee my hands open and the air ‘would cool eny pln ‘What you luukiag at rue fur “The childcen’s section of the Calured Methodist Episcopal Church was wipgling and giggling ewer uy well-known Forgetfulness The dies T wore was lavender palletay and each sime T Dreathesl t ensilrl, and now thar 1 was sucking ia air co breathe our shai: it sounded like creye: paper un the back of ncarses As Td watched Momma pot muffs us de heat and ence Tue tucks around the waist, [new shat unce I pat it on Ta Tok Fike a movi: stax (twas sille andl loi nade up For she aveful color} T was goin tw Look Tike ane nf the seec lee shite gicls whe were everybody’s dies of velea we right with the world, Tlanginy softly over the hack Singer sewing machines it looked Ike auagie, and when people saw me wearing it they were grany. to run up te me andl say, "Mar gucvite Fometimes it wig “Year Marguernc', forgive us. pleas, we didict know whi yew were,” and F wold answer generously, "No, you caull't have known. OF eet I fr sive you" Jus thinking aboot u qade one go arcmin with auigel’s dase sprinkled over my fee far days, That Kastar’s early morning sun bud sbowen ihe: dress to be a plain ugly et dow rom a white woman's ance was-parple cirowaweay. 1 was ‘oldady long to, bat it daln't bide my skinny legos which had heen greased with Blno Seal Vaseline and powcr with the Atkamas ced clay. ‘The age-faded salar tale ay skin Took dirty like mud, aul everyone in church wes looking at my sky legs. ‘Woulda’t they be eneytised when one day Hwike out of amy black ugly dream, and my ecal hair, which was hang and Blond, would take the place nf te kinky mass ehae Mumma swouldn'c let ow straighten? My light-blue eyes were poing to hnypnorize tse. alter al ee things they said abn “nny dddy oust of bes « Chinaman" (Though they micatl made out of china, ike a cup) because my eyes were so stall and squingy ‘Then they would underseand why 1 had never picked up a Southern accent, or spoke the constion stony, and why F kad to be forces] to eat pigs ails and ania, Because L was really white and because a cruel fairy stepmother, whe was under standably jealous of my beauty, lal warned ene into a sno-hig Negri gicl, with mappy black haw brow feet and a space Derweow her weeh that wonld lk] a number-cwe pencil “What you looking ...” The ainister’s wife leaned. toward te her Fong yellow faoe [ull of sorry, She whispered. *T juse come to tell you, ir's Easter Day.” I repeaed, jamin. the worls together. "Tasteametotellyouit'sEasterDay,” a¢ low ats possible. The gigyles hung in the air like melting clouds Uae were waiting us rain on me. Thekd up rae fingers close €0 any chest, which meat thal Thiel tt go rah nile, and tip- toed roveard the reir of the church, Dinly, srmewbcee over tay head, T heard ladies saying, "Tord hess the chill Praise Ci.” My hese was up and ty cyes were open, bur] didn’t see anything, Halfway devin the aisle, the cburch exploded with “Were you there when they erucitied my Lord ?* and I tipped over a fone eck rut rot the children's pew. Ts and bled and started a say vemnctlny, of maybe ta scream, but a reen persimman, or it crue ave been a temon, caughe mr: hetweew the legsand squcezad, I tasted the sour on zy tongue aud Felt it in the back af my mouth. Then before T reached the: desr, the sting was burning dwn muy Jegs and jun my Sunday socks. I tried eo ald, 1 squecee it buck, keep it from speeding, but when T reachod the church porch knew Td have wo leit go.or it wold probably ru eight back. tap to-my head ane my poor head wild hues like a dropped. wtermelont aud all the brains and git aad! woungue and eyes would roll all ove the place, So J ran dowan into the yard and. ler ic ge. 1 2am, potiug and crying, not coward the Toller oat biek bot w ute house, rd gets whipping tori, ve he sure and the uty children would have something new tease mie about. L laughed anyway, partially for rhe savose ecloass sl the wuealee juy carne not any From being liberated fiom the silly cluurch bue from the koowsledge thacT wool Hig. ia a bust! lead 1 yung up is pain tor che Snurhera Blas gil, being aware of er displacement is the rust an the anne that theeatons the ti Te wan unnecessary insult, CHAPTER 1 ee Waren Fvvas thos and Talley tour, we had acrived ia the magiy lier: town, wearing tags on ae wrists which inseructed. “Ey Whom Ie May Concern” - that weewere Mar- _gurritearal Hailey Johnson Jr, om Tong Beach, California, en rout to Starays Arkansas, c/o Mrs. Annie Hendeason. (Gn joints had decided ro put an etd wo their calemiaus mmariagésand Bathor shipped us home this mother. A porter lial hoon charged with nur welfare—e gol off yhe train che twcat clay in Avizana—and our tickets were pinned to my bvathes's inst coar prker Tot ccicrahir enuch of the erip, But alter we reached the segresated southern part of rhe journey, things must have looked up. Negeo passengers, who always traveled with leaded Lumet boxes Felt carey for “the poor siile spotherless darlings” and pied us with cold fried chicken aml peso sind ‘Years later 1 discovsrcel thar the Uited States had been. crossed thousand of tines hy fughtened Black childeen crav= cling aione to theie newly afducat parenrs in Northern cites, é Maya ANGELOU oF back to wanders in Semcheus wowns whew the urban North renege: on ire weonomie proonises ‘The town ceasted ws us as ies ibabitants havl ceaced to alk things new befure aus coming. Ir vegarded as while without curiosity but with caution. and afies we were seen to be haem less fonel children) it closed i around ‘a4 as a ceal moths embsaccea seranget’s child. Warmly, but na too Eas liarly We lived seat cur geandinother and uncle in the sean of he Store it way always spokrut of wish a capital si, which she had enened some Uwengy tie. pears fearly in thn; vencary, Moouma (we sunt seopped calting her Grandmother} sold Inches en the stveinen ia the tube yard (east Stang) and the seedmen ar thr entton gin (wen Stamnps). Her ers mear pies nud coal letnwnnide, when jain re eet rairacukes ability ro be i tw places ar the same cime, asamevl her buswmss success. From being a mebiie hnnch center, she ser uy a scund kecween che 1H gues of fiseal intereat dnd supplied the workers! needs fe « Ky years. Thin she jd the Stove builein the heaet a the Ney aes. Cer the yes it became the lay canter of actvicies 1m town, Chn Sarne Says, burbers sar tie custorneus ia che shade ov the porch oF the Stee, aud crouaadoues on their ceaseless eavclings {rough he Sourh Teaued across s bene i can thee sad songs of The Brazon while they pliyed juice harps and cigar- Dox pusrs "he format naine of the Stave wa che War. Johnson Gen eral Murchandise Store, Cstorneas cule! fine food staples, a good vatiety of calveed sheeal, anash toe huys, com fia chickvats, coal oil fu barns. tight bulbs tur the weal, shoe strings, hic dressing, bailoons. and Huwer seeds, Anyehing nnot visite bad only to be ordeted, Until we hecane familiar exwagh 1 belong en the Swe and it ra ms, we were locked ap iat a Fun House of Tings the attendaar hae give Tie fn lie wh ace year I watched the field acisss feos the Sut tne von yltar semen. then gradually Frosty whire. t huow exactly bow loug it would be Debee che bag seayrms sisal pull into lhe front yard and lend on che concn ynekers at daybreak te carry cheen on che cemains of Siveay'y pleuatanions, Tariug the picking season my geaualaeticr wel pet ont vol bed at four eeleck {she never wsod gw aliiay eloch) an creak down eo ber knees and esau an a sh "Our Fushes, thank you fhe bering mie s6e this New Day Thank you that you dida’e allow che hed | Lay an last aught to lhe any combing board, nor my bianker my winding sheer Onde my fect this rlay akong the straight and mcrow, and help me to pt a bridle on my tongue, less chis hots, and everybutly in it, Thank you, in che mare of your San. Jeaus Christ, Ame.” Boloee vhe bad! quite arisen, she called eur names and rssuedl guluzs. sind pushed ber large feet inen bmemace slip- pers and aweose the bane Iyesvisbed woortn Hore light the cnal-il larap. The lamplight iss the fling te oor warkd which madi an: want to whispcr a Suore eave a soft make-believe walk ahonr on riptun. "The dors of eniou said ete avd ecosene heel ecu ining all uaghit and yrovidn’t be dissurlid tunel the woevied slon veae renvavedl Fase, the doer aval the carly moening. ait forced ies way in with ee nalies of people wha had walked miles rscach re pivkyp place * Sacer, T have reve cans af saline” Tay poms work like you sanding sil” fast coday Tm gonna make ye tank " Mave ANSEnou ‘Lemme have a hunk uh cheese ane] some sody crackers “Jose gimme » coupla them Fiat peanut paddies." ‘Mat ‘would be from a picker who was taking his lunch. "lhe gecany boron paper sac was sruch behind che bib of Is cera He'd use the candy aca snark loe(ore the noon stn called the workers cet In those tender moeninngs the Store was full al leughing, joking, bunting and bragging, One man va pois to pick lwo hundred ponds of rene, aad another thee hundred. Even the clnideen seere promising en bring honus fa’ bies ani sa bits, ‘The champivn picker uf he day before was the herw of the dawn. TE he pruphesied chat the coston in covkiy’s held was aoing ta be qyurse and srk to the bolls ike glur.cvery listener ‘wuld granta hearty agrerenen, The sound of the empty cotton sacks dragying over the uur and the quurmurs of waking people were sliced by he cash register as we cang ep the fve-cent eas AF use morning sounds and nelly were touched with the supesnatural che Tate afterrioan Iie! all the Feararcs uf the onal Arkancas life. In the dying swalighe the pele dragged, rather than theer empty costo sacks. Bus nugbt ack c Ube Stare, the pickers sould step Ook nf the backs of trucks and fold doses, dite disappointed, a the grou, No mates base much tsey lid picked, 0 was0't voogh. Their wages wouldn't ven jet then out Hf debt eo ting qcamdmorbes, mot co mention the stagger bill that waited on them st the whire comimiesary doventone The sounds of the new mecning bad hese replaced with Brovubles abmut cheating heawiy, weighted scales, snakes, skiepy corton ane] dusry rows. [in later years I was coatront Use stereoryped picture of yay song-singing coltum pickers VKNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS ’ wale such yauudinnte sage thar T was cold even by Fellow Blacks hl my pacauuia wae crnlerrvavong. Buc I ad seen the fingers cot by the van Hue conan bolls, and Thad witnessed the backs and shoulders and atane aud leys vesisting any Far- ther ciemands, Some of che workers would leave cheir sacks at he Stine rovbe: pirked up rhe Following morning, bur «few hd ww ke ‘hem home for repaies. I winem| to picture chem sessing the tearee nnaserial andes coal iarnp with fagere stllenmug, from the day's work. In to few hours chey would, have ts wal, hark «6 Sister TTenderson's Store, get vittles aad lead, gaan, onto the trucks. Then they would Luse auothes day of ying © cain enough far the whole year with Iknoselrdlge thar they were going 10 end the seavn as thes srartod ie. Withoue rhe money or credit Fannly fine hres months, In raron-pickiog tite Une Late ice noone revealed the harshness of Black Souther file whch wn the carly morning had been softened by suturs's Llssing nf peogginess, torgenfdlness end the cote lamplight. CHAPTER 2 WHEN Bailey was six and Ta year younger we user! 1» rate off the simes tables with the sped 1 was later to see Chinese children in San Francisco empluy on their ahocuses. Our snmmer-gray porbelied stave bloamed rosy red! duzing sand became a were dis iinarian theeat ifwe were 9 fooknls as uo indulge in making motakes. Uncle Willie used ta it ike a iva Black 2 ihe had lven sipped as a child, and linge us realy to rhe Lallgerte County ‘Traimuy Schovis" ables, Tis face pulled down on tly lee side, asi «pulley ad beers steachedl te his lower teeth, an bis ‘ett ond was ouly a mite biggee than Taey’s, bot on the second sunstake or un the tbied hesitation bis hie 2 bis hig overgeinwn, Figbr hand would eatch one ef us ebiod che collar, and ta the same mivimenr would thrust the ealprie toward che dll ged hueater, whiels thobbvd Like a alewl’s mothache. We seve ever burned, wluhongh ace Eight have hes when T wass0 tertied 1 ied 0 Sup note the sve eo remnve the poss Laliey of us remawning a eheest, Like: most children, I howbe WH could tace rhe worst danger swluncaricy, and tramp, 1 would forever have power over ie, Bucan ay case wf suersicil effect Taesg Thveartrl, Uncles Willis held vight my dress and. Tonly gor close enough rosmel- the clean dry scent of hot iron, We Iesened thes tins tables velo wedeistinding their rend prancaple, sumpay Derase we bead ns espacity and oa alternative the uapedy of lameness seems se unaic ty chifelren tte they are cumburrassel in ies presence, Suu they, mest recent! call qagee's munkd, secse that they have only wirrowly sued Vein another of ber jokes, do reef at the narrow esta pe they vent hese emations in impatience andl eritcine: nf the ualacky copie Manus eebaed tims wate end, and wathonur any shes ‘oF eaerion, hue Uinle Walle hed bec capped when he was Fire years ol iy 11 woman vehi wis minding bie. She seemed to Tne au vanuise ayuist the haly-ainee, aed for her shit God who allowed she avsielera. She felt it necessary to explain aver and ser again i tune wha knew the story by heare thar he wasn'r “oem that way Tn eursesiety, wheve twodegged, snare serong Black ssunies af hfe ren were alle at best 19 eke: si cnly the 1 Uncle Willey ovth Is starch shists, chines shoes and shelves Ful oF Fond, was the whippang boy and bute of jokes uf the underemployed und ainderpuid. Pate noe only dissbled him bur laid a double-wered barrier in his potb, He was abo proud and sensitive. Theretive he couldn’ pretend that be ‘wasn't crippled, nor camldl he lece.ve hamnself rhar people were nor repelled by is eens (Ciny once ia all rhe years of trying noc to watc’a him, Ts him pretend 9 himself and avhecs rhat he wasn lame, Coming home From «chocl one shy, L saw a dark cae io fone feo yal Teusled ia Fin stanage tear axl seen 2B MAYS ANGELOU Uncle Wile said later shey were schunlreschers froww Little Rork} dnmking D1. Pepper iz the eva of Ute Store, Psenser a serongniss cup me, ihe an alaren clock thar bar] gone olf swutboxt being ses T knew it couldn’ be the strangers. Nor fiequcntty, but cfiew eneragh, wavclers pulled eff the angi oad cr hy tobacco of sult arinks an ihe yaly Negro store in Stamps. ‘When | looked ar Uncle Wikli, Uenew what was pulling my roind’s coartalk, He was standing erect beaind the counter, ‘nor ean forward or cestmy. ou the small sheTP bat ld been. Furl for hina. Frece. Hs eyes seemed 1p hold me with a ania ture ef dhrears and appeal T dutifully greeted the strangers aul uaned my ose around for has walking erick. I was nowhere 1 lic gers. He said. “UD. this shis this... my nice, She's ah ist come from sehwul” Then 14 the couple—"Yor kun how, uh, children age. the these days... they play all dalaay at school and ee-can' wait ur get home and pl-play “The people snule very frenly He added, “Gu on ext and pl-play, Sisco ‘Ve lady laughea nt sole Arkansas voice and said, Well, yor know, Mr. Fobason, thoy say. you're only 4 chil once Ter you children ef your ayer?” Uncle Willie looked 2 me with an ionputieuse T hadn't eeu an his face even whem he cook thirty snimures eo iewp the laces over his bigh-toppeal sues. “TT chem eel yon ro gr -xetoutside atl play.” Befie {Left Lsaw hit lean buck on che shvtves of Gearcet Snot, Prince Alhest and Spark Plyy chewing trace. No, macs ...ne ch ebslelrea and ov wil.” He eried t t Vevaw WHY THe cageD @inD eines = IS Timgh. “T hve an old m momother and my brother's tiie ehileren to 1 look aftoe” Tid’ sana has sing ws 9 make hinselt book goed. In Foe, | would live pictonsled ip he his danghrer if he wanted. rane, Not aly lid Laot Feet any boyalyy to may oven father, V figured ubat if L hae bea Unele Willie’ child | would have revere! snult better treatin The couple Left after a few cninotes, and From che hack of thehouve 1 watched the rel car seare chickens, vi: dose and sfisappear wowace Magna Uncle Wie vey snaking: his way dowe the long shad- owed aisle between Ue chebves ane the couarer—aand over Thand, Bhe a nian cleubing oor of a decam Tsmgad quier and ‘warehed ina hiel fram rane side, bumping no the other, until Ine seachual the coal oil tank. He his hnad behind char dase reeoes and rook his cane in ube sting fist and shifted his weight op th: wacrlun support, He: thought he had polled inf Pid eves koaw why 31 yay sinportane 10 hmm that the <ceauple he said Inuer that ha’ neve seen rhewn before) wont rake ¢ pieruse ofa whole: Me, Johnsen back ro Line Rec Te muse have tited of being cripeled, as pelsoners rite of penitensiaiy bars aad the gusly sive ef blame. The high- roped shvks and ube cane, his wrconerallable: muscles and rick tonggves aun! the looks ie suffered of eather cantenpn or pity bad siuuply worn bien vet rad tor owe afternoon. one pat ‘ofan afterton, le wanted ag purt of hem, L ondersieuel aud fel closer to him ut Uae munveut hin ever before of since, urine these years ia Stamps, [ met and fell in Jove wah Willian Shaluespeare. He was mvy first white love, Alton