Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton

GEORGE LOVED WORDS. He wanted to learn how to read, but George was enslaved. He and his family lived on a farm in Chatham County, North Carolina, where they were forced to work long hours. There wasn’t time for much else. Besides, George knew his master would not approve of his slaves reading.

But that didn’t stop George from admiring the language that was all around him: Inspirational words read from the Bible. Hopeful words delivered in a sermon. Lively words sung in songs.

George was determined to learn how to read. When white children studied their books, he lingered nearby. He listened as they repeated the letters of the alphabet. Soon, George could recite the alphabet himself.

His mother would have liked to help him, but she couldn’t. Instead, she gave George one of her most valuable possessions: a Wesley hymnal, a book of songs.

It was George’s very first book! He scanned the pages,trying to make out the letters. It was no use, though; he could not read the words.

Then George found an old spelling book. It was tattered and some pages were missing, but it was enough to get him started.

George thumbed through its pages. He recognized some of the letters. At night, when he should have been resting after a long day of work, George studied by firelight. His eyes burned from the smoke.

Soon he could make out a few words.

Before long he could understand entire sentences. Over time, George taught himself to read.

From that point forward, George not only loved words, he could read and understand them too. George read verses from the New Testament. He read books, newspaper articles, advertisements-whatever he could find.

Most of all, George read poems. He loved beautiful poetry.

From early morning until late at night, George tended cattle on his master’s farm. While he worked, George composed his own poetry, mingling his words with the tunes of familiar songs. He hadn’t learned how to write his poems down yet, so he committed them to memory. Words and rhythms were stored up inside his head.

His verses swayed with emotion, like the music of Sunday services. They kept him strong as he grew to be a young man.