God's Trombones

“The old time Negro preacher of parts was above all an orator, and in good measure an actor. He knew the secret of oratory, that at the bottom of it is a progression of rhythmic words more than anything else. …He often possessed a voice that was a marvelous instrument, a voice he could modulate from a sepulchral whisper to a crashing thunder clap. …At such time his language was not prose but poetry. It was from memories of such preachers there grew the idea of this book of poems.”

Featuring seven-free verse biblically inspired poems, God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse is a brief, yet powerful, critically acclaimed collection that celebrates the oratorical talent of the “old time” Black preacher; the rhythm and lyricism of his words, as well as the heart and soul of his church. Beginning with the preliminary call to prayer “Listen Lord” and ending with “The Judgement Day,” Johnson leads readers on a literary journey that showcases the collision of Black life and Black art within the realm of Christianity.

Inspired by both his childhood memories of listening to sermons and a desire to pay tribute to the work of Black preachers, God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse is James Weldon Johnson’s exciting exploration of African American religious expression and history.

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