diff --git a/include/lib/text.h b/include/lib/text.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad7b1fd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/lib/text.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#ifndef __LIB_TEXT_H
+#define __LIB_TEXT_H
+
+#include <lib/font.h>
+
+/* super cheezy mechanism to stick lines of text up on top of whatever is being drawn */
+/* XXX replace with something more generic later */
+void text_draw(int x, int y, const char *string);
+
+/* super dumb, someone has to call this to refresh everything */
+void text_update(void);
+
+#endif
+
diff --git a/lib/text/rules.mk b/lib/text/rules.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9555d001
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/text/rules.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+LOCAL_DIR := $(GET_LOCAL_DIR)
+
+MODULES += lib/font
+
+OBJS += \
+	$(LOCAL_DIR)/text.o
diff --git a/lib/text/text.c b/lib/text/text.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4b5f4cad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/text/text.c
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2008-2010 Travis Geiselbrecht
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
+ * a copy of this software and associated documentation files
+ * (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction,
+ * including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
+ * publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
+ * and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
+ * included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
+ * EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
+ * IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
+ * CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
+ * TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
+ * SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @addtogroup graphics
+ * @{
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * @brief  Console text display
+ *
+ * This module displays text on the console.  The text is retained so that
+ * it can be redisplayed if the display is cleared.
+ *
+ * Output is to the default graphics display
+ */
+
+#include <debug.h>
+#include <list.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <dev/display.h>
+#include <lib/gfx.h>
+#include <lib/font.h>
+#include <lib/text.h>
+
+#define TEXT_COLOR 0xffffffff
+
+static struct list_node text_list = LIST_INITIAL_VALUE(text_list);
+
+struct text_line {
+	struct list_node node;
+	const char *str;
+	int x, y;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @brief  Add a string to the console text
+ */
+void text_draw(int x, int y, const char *string)
+{
+	struct text_line *line = malloc(sizeof(struct text_line));
+
+	line->str = strdup(string);
+	line->x = x;
+	line->y = y;
+
+	list_add_head(&text_list, &line->node);
+
+	text_update();
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief  Refresh the display
+ */
+void text_update(void)
+{
+	struct display_info info;
+	display_get_info(&info);
+
+	/* get the display's surface */
+	gfx_surface *surface = gfx_create_surface_from_display(&info);
+
+	struct text_line *line;
+	list_for_every_entry(&text_list, line, struct text_line, node) {
+		const char *c;
+		int x = line->x;
+		for (c = line->str; *c; c++) {
+			font_draw_char(surface, *c, x, line->y, TEXT_COLOR);
+			x += FONT_X;
+		}
+	}
+
+	gfx_flush(surface);
+
+	gfx_surface_destroy(surface);
+}
+