The poem
The Slave's Complaint
Am I sadly cast aside,
On misfortune's rugged tide?
Will the world my pains deride
Forever?
Must I dwell in Slavery's night,
And all pleasure take its flight,
Far beyond my feeble sight,
Forever?
Worst of all, must Hope grow dim,
And withhold her cheering beam?
Rather let me sleep and dream
Forever!
Something still my heart surveys,
Groping through this dreary maze;
Is it Hope? -- then burn and blaze
Forever!
Leave me not a wretch confined,
Altogether lame and blind --
Unto gross despair consigned,
Forever!
Heaven! in whom can I confide?
Canst thou not for all provide?
Condescend to be my guide
Forever:
And when this transient life shall end,
Oh, may some kind eternal friend
Bid me from servitude ascend,
Forever!
Am I sadly cast aside,
On misfortune's rugged tide?
Will the world my pains deride
Forever?
Must I dwell in Slavery's night,
And all pleasure take its flight,
Far beyond my feeble sight,
Forever?
Worst of all, must Hope grow dim,
And withhold her cheering beam?
Rather let me sleep and dream
Forever!
Something still my heart surveys,
Groping through this dreary maze;
Is it Hope? -- then burn and blaze
Forever!
Leave me not a wretch confined,
Altogether lame and blind --
Unto gross despair consigned,
Forever!
Heaven! in whom can I confide?
Canst thou not for all provide?
Condescend to be my guide
Forever:
And when this transient life shall end,
Oh, may some kind eternal friend
Bid me from servitude ascend,
Forever!
Techniques in the poem
The Slaves Complaint by George Moses Horton has a very depressing mood about it. Some of the techniques used are Repition and Visual imagery.
This poem is really strongly conveying oppression. The author makes the reader question “Why is the author oppressed? How did he become oppressed?” This poem is extremely strong in making the reader reflect.
Repition is a very big part of this poem. George Moses Horton has very effectively put Forever at the end of each stanza. Forever is used in this poem to symbolize eternity. Slavery is eternal because masters very rarely freed their slaves and if they did it would only be if they were too old to work. Many masters would overwork, abuse, beat and torture their slaves. In stanzas 1 and 2 forever has a question mark on the end. This is to question whether the author will get freedom or is his slavery forever. I believe Repition is a major technique used in this poem.
Visual Imagery is a very effective technique used in this poem. In stanza 3, Visual Imagery is strong when it says, “Worst of All, must hope grow dim and withhold her cheery beam?” The author aiding a mood of sorrow by having imagery. The use of “hope must grow dim” causes the reader to imagine light representing hope, coming through the crack of a door into a darkroom. In stanza 5 a sad mood is created when the author describes his appearance, “Leave me not a wretch confined, altogether lame and blind.” The poet is saying don’t leave me a slave who will become lame and blind. This conjures visual imagery of an old, homeless and mattered man lying on the ground. The poet pulls on the reader’s heartstrings by saying this. I believe visual imagery was a major technique used in this poem.
In Conclusion, George Moses Horton brings a feeling of empathy and sorrow on the reader by use of Repition and Visual imagery.
This poem is really strongly conveying oppression. The author makes the reader question “Why is the author oppressed? How did he become oppressed?” This poem is extremely strong in making the reader reflect.
Repition is a very big part of this poem. George Moses Horton has very effectively put Forever at the end of each stanza. Forever is used in this poem to symbolize eternity. Slavery is eternal because masters very rarely freed their slaves and if they did it would only be if they were too old to work. Many masters would overwork, abuse, beat and torture their slaves. In stanzas 1 and 2 forever has a question mark on the end. This is to question whether the author will get freedom or is his slavery forever. I believe Repition is a major technique used in this poem.
Visual Imagery is a very effective technique used in this poem. In stanza 3, Visual Imagery is strong when it says, “Worst of All, must hope grow dim and withhold her cheery beam?” The author aiding a mood of sorrow by having imagery. The use of “hope must grow dim” causes the reader to imagine light representing hope, coming through the crack of a door into a darkroom. In stanza 5 a sad mood is created when the author describes his appearance, “Leave me not a wretch confined, altogether lame and blind.” The poet is saying don’t leave me a slave who will become lame and blind. This conjures visual imagery of an old, homeless and mattered man lying on the ground. The poet pulls on the reader’s heartstrings by saying this. I believe visual imagery was a major technique used in this poem.
In Conclusion, George Moses Horton brings a feeling of empathy and sorrow on the reader by use of Repition and Visual imagery.
About the Poet
George was born a slave and was owned by William Horton. When he was quite young he was moved to a tobacco plantation in Chatham County, North Carolina. While he was working, he would hear snippets of conversation, poetry and literature. He wrote poems in his mind but never wrote them down. When he was a teenager, he would deliver goods to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He would recite poems to the pupils and they wrote down these poems. George became famous in the local area. His poems were published into a book called The Hope of Liberty in 1829. Some of his other poem books are Poetical Works in 1845 and Naked Genius in 1865. George stayed a slave until 1865 (when he was 68) as the Union Army freed him after the civil war. He died a decade later.