diff --git a/escher/Makefile b/escher/Makefile
index b6be880c4..20bc37ba6 100644
--- a/escher/Makefile
+++ b/escher/Makefile
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@ SFLAGS += -Iescher/include
 
 objs += $(addprefix escher/src/,\
   solid_color_view.o\
+  text_view.o\
   view.o\
 )
diff --git a/escher/include/escher.h b/escher/include/escher.h
index 125bcbe12..124e4d155 100644
--- a/escher/include/escher.h
+++ b/escher/include/escher.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define ESCHER_H
 
 #include <escher/solid_color_view.h>
+#include <escher/text_view.h>
 #include <escher/view.h>
 
 #endif
diff --git a/escher/include/escher/text_view.h b/escher/include/escher/text_view.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0dcb108a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/escher/include/escher/text_view.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#ifndef ESCHER_TEXT_VIEW_H
+#define ESCHER_TEXT_VIEW_H
+
+#include <escher/view.h>
+
+class TextView : public View {
+public:
+  TextView(KDPoint origin, const char * text);
+  void drawRect(KDRect rect) override;
+private:
+  const char * m_text;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/escher/src/text_view.cpp b/escher/src/text_view.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bad8a9b51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/escher/src/text_view.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#include <escher/text_view.h>
+
+KDRect ViewFrame(KDPoint origin, const char * text) {
+  KDRect r;
+  r.origin = origin;
+  r.size = KDStringSize(text);
+  return r;
+}
+
+TextView::TextView(KDPoint origin, const char * text) :
+  View(ViewFrame(origin, text)) {
+  m_text = text;
+}
+
+void TextView::drawRect(KDRect rect) {
+  KDPoint zero = {0, 0};
+  KDDrawString(m_text, zero, 0);
+}