(02/14/2014) A Poem--James Weldon Johnson

Today, I share a poem specially written as a gift to our young, and those who will follow until the time of Advent.  As part of its renewed emphasis upon evangelism, the Pope and a recent synod of Catholic bishops have proposed that the work of the church is to establish the Gospel of Jesus as an aspect of living cultures, and not only in the life of individual believers. Therefore, the process of sharing the Gospel must be continued with a special awareness and sensitivity to the diverse patterns of expression that are now vital as the frameworks for human survival and understanding. With this in view, I realized again, for many Christian believers African American history speaks to them of home, of love, and of their earliest experiences as they were coming to Christ.


As I was looking back to think about a topic for my annual Black History Month poem, I became excited at the thought of acknowledging the contributions from the many independent magazines and newspapers that had served our communities across the country.  When I first entered college, important literary and political publications still were available that included “The Crisis” (an organ of the NAACP), and “The Negro Digest” (Chicago, IL).  Monthly publications focused on business, current events, entertainment, and public issues included “Ebony”, “Jet”, and “Sepia”.  (Later, once I had begun graduate school, the novelist, John Oliver Killens, would recommend that I share my poetry through “Essence”, a new publication that would have special appeal for African American women.)  As I continued my reflections, I began to consider:  There once were many daily and monthly newspapers, such as the New York Amsterdam News, the Chicago Defender, The Los Angeles Sentinel, The Michigan Chronicle (Detroit, MI), and Muhammad Speaks (now Muslim Journal, Chicago, IL).  Whenever I think of the Baltimore Afro-American (known as The Afro), I still laugh recalling the sometimes comical social commentary provided in a curious column (that ran for some 20 years), written by the poet, Langston Hughes.  Simple had been called the voice of our culture (but not by me), and I was determined to discover why before my next year in high school.  The author’s character, “Jesse B. Semple,” and his prose seemed a little too “Br’er Rabbit” (some would say, folksy) for my taste (and I still have issues with some of Hughes’ poems).


That being said, I recalled a special piece sometimes mistakenly attributed to Hughes, “The Creation;” and I began to recite the lines that I had learned while a student in middle school:  And GOD stepped out on space, and looked around, and said….Since then I have been convinced that such a treasure is never to be forgotten or ignored.  The warning from GOD has been:  What you take for granted, gets taken away; just like what you take for granted, gets to take advantage of you.

 

 

THE SOUNDING OF GOD’S TROMBONES
[Remembering James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), Black History Month, 2014]

Surely, we have heard the soundings
The brass of seven sermon thunder
The pulpit rocking us all
In the bosom of Abraham


What is to make us ready
For the heavens split by fire
The lightning cowed, the clouds in awe
The sun trembling in humility


A far distant speck will appear
That none will recognize to be an host
Until they are upon us
No further away than a hand breath


The shout of the archangel
The merest whisper of the shofars
The minds and hearts of the righteous
Leaping in innocence and joy


False prophets and shamans
Have come to us, yet, nothing like our own
Real poets, axe-wielders
Like Coltrane, Rollins, Sanders, Lloyd, Bird, Prez, and Shepp


Who all stepped out in space
And looked around and said
I’ll make me a world
I’ll offer up a praise


The instrument possessing
Above all others the breadth
And depth of a mammy on her knees
The conqueror upon his charger


Within the prayer wheel turning
The spirit given by GOD
Proclaims and commands
Lift every voice and sing


For now is his appearing
And who will fly to meet them
In the air, none but the righteous
No, not one

©Michael Andrew Williams, 2014.  All rights reserved worldwide.

There is far more to be said in love and with respect, more to be correctly applied, and more that can only be spiritually apprehended.  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.


It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.  But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  (1st Corinthians 13:  5-8, New International Version, NIV)


THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC