The Snowflakes Sail Gently Down

Poetry | Gabriel Okara

Black Birds

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Black Birds ✪✪✪

In Gabriel Okara’s poem “Snowflakes Sail Gently Down,” the image of black birds appears in the poet’s dream. He says, “I dreamed of birds, black birds flying in my inside.” These birds are not just real birds; they carry deep symbolic meaning. They show the poet’s inner life, imagination, and the power of renewal within the human spirit.

Symbol Of Imagination And Creativity: The black birds live and fly “inside” the poet. This means they grow from his heart and mind. They stand for his thoughts, dreams, and creative energy. The poet uses them to express the birth of new ideas. They are part of his imagination that gives him hope and strength.

Image Of Life And Renewal: The birds build nests and hatch new life “on oil palms bearing suns for

fruits.” This picture shows growth and renewal. The black birds bring life where everything seems silent and cold. They are the promise of change and new beginnings after the stillness of death and winter.

Symbol Of Freedom And Hope: The flying birds also show freedom. They move easily through the poet’s inner world. Their flight means release from sadness and the search for light. Even though they are black, they are not dark or evil. They are full of energy and life, bringing hope to the poet’s heart.

Spiritual Meaning: The black birds connect the poet’s soul to nature’s power. They show that new life and spirit can rise from within. Their movement inside him becomes a sign of inner awakening. Through them, the poet finds the strength to understand the circle of life, death, and rebirth.

The black birds in the poem stand for imagination, hope, and renewal. They grow in the poet’s inner world and bring the message that life continues even in silence. Gabriel Okara uses them to show how the human soul, like nature, never truly dies.

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