George Moses Horton, Myself

George Moses Horton 1779 (North Carolina) – 1883



I feel myself in need
Of the inspiring strains of ancient lore,
My heart to lift, my empty mind to feed,
And all the world explore.

I know that I am old
And never can recover what is past,
But for the future may some light unfold
And soar from ages blast.

I feel resolved to try,
My wish to prove, my calling to pursue,
Or mount up from the earth into the sky,
To show what Heaven can do.

My genius from a boy,
Has fluttered like a bird within my heart;
But could not thus confined her powers employ,
Impatient to depart.

She like a restless bird,
Would spread her wings, her power to be unfurl’d
And let her songs be loudly heard,
And dart from world to world.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 10, 2023

39 sec read
85

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IAIX
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 652
Words 133
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

George Moses Horton

George Moses Horton was an African-American poet and the first African American poet to be published in the Southern United States. His book was published in 1828 while he was still a slave; he remained a slave until he was emancipated late in the Civil War. more…

All George Moses Horton poems | George Moses Horton Books

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