Poems by George Moses Horton

From The Black Bard of North Carolina: George Moses Horton and His Poetry, edited by Joan Sherman. Copyright 1997, The University of North Carolina Press. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without the express permission of the Press. For ad ditional information about this book, see the links below.


      The Poet's Feeble Petition

      Bewailing mid the ruthless wave,

        I lift my feeble hand to thee.
      Let me no longer live a slave
        But drop these fetters and be free.
      Why will regardless fortune sleep
        Deaf to my penitential prayer,
      Or leave the struggling Bard to weep,
        Alas, and languish in despair?

      He is an eagle void of wings

        Aspiring to the mountain's height;
      Yet in the vale aloud he sings
        For Pity's aid to give him flight.

      Then listen all who never felt
        For fettered genius heretofore--
      Let hearts of petrifaction melt
        And bid the gifted Negro soar.


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