Super Short Summary

God's Trombones by James Weldon Johnson is a collection of seven poems that adopt the style and thematic elements of Black preaching traditions, drawing heavily on Biblical narratives. The poems include "The Creation," "The Prodigal Son," "Go Down Death—A Funeral Sermon," "Noah Built the Ark," "The Crucifixion," "Let My People Go," and "The Judgment Day," each reimagining biblical stories to convey the impactful oratory of African-American preachers. The collection explores themes of creation, repentance, death, destruction, deliverance, and judgment within the context of historical and contemporary Black experiences.