The Collected Poems of Sterling A. Brown

by Brown, Sterling Allen

• ISBN13: 9780810150454
• ISBN10: 081015045X
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-03-01
• Publisher: Triquarterly Books
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Arguably the greatest African-American poet of the century, and one of the most important American poets, Sterling A. Brown was a contemporary of Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Jean Toomer; as a part of this group, and individually, he has been instrumental in bringing the traditions of African-American folklife to readers all over the world.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Michael S. Harper
SOUTHERN ROAD
Introduction	3	(13)
Sterling Stuckey
Introduction to the first edition	16	(4)
James Weldon Johnson
Part One: ROAD SO ROCKY
Odyssey of Big Boy	20	(2)
Long Gone	22	(2)
Maumee Ruth	24	(2)
When de Saints Go Ma'ching Home	26	(5)
Dark of the Moon	31	(2)
Seeking Religion	33	(1)
Georgie Grimes	34	(1)
Scotty Has His Say	35	(1)
Ruminations of Luke Johnson	36	(2)
Virginia Portrait	38	(2)
Old Man Buzzard	40	(2)
Johnny Thomas	42	(2)
Frankie and Johnny	44	(1)
Sam Smiley	45	(2)
To Sallie, Walking	47	(2)
Bessie	49	(1)
Kentucky Blues	50	(1)
Mister Samuel and Sam	51	(1)
Southern Road	52	(2)
Sister Lou	54	(2)
Strong Men	56	(4)
Part Two: ON RESTLESS RIVER
Memphis Blues	60	(2)
Ma Rainey	62	(2)
Old King Cotton	64	(2)
Children of the Mississippi	66	(2)
New St. Louis Blues	68	(2)
Foreclosure	70	(1)
Checkers	71	(2)
Mose	73	(1)
After Winter	74	(2)
Pardners	76	(1)
Slim Greer	77	(2)
Slim Lands a Job?	79	(2)
Slim in Atlanta	81	(2)
Slim Hears ``The Call''	83	(6)
Slim in Hell	89	(4)
New Steps	93	(2)
Convict	95	(1)
Strange Legacies	96	(2)
Revelations	98	(2)
Riverbank Blues	100	(2)
Part Three: TIN ROOF BLUES
Tin Roof Blues	102	(1)
Effie	103	(1)
Children's Children	104	(1)
Mecca	105	(1)
Chillen Get Shoes	106	(1)
Funeral	107	(1)
Harlem Street Walkers	108	(1)
Sporting Beasley	109	(2)
Cabaret	111	(5)
Part Four: VESTIGES
Salutamus	116	(1)
To a Certain Lady, in Her Garden	117	(2)
Challenge	119	(1)
Telling Fortunes	120	(1)
Rain	121	(1)
Return	122	(1)
Nous n'irons plus au bois	123	(1)
Thoughts of Death	124	(1)
Against That Day	125	(1)
Mill Mountain	126	(5)
THE LAST RIDE OF WILD BILL
The Last Ride of Wild Bill	131	(15)
He Was a Man	146	(2)
Elder Mistletoe	148	(3)
Crispus Attucks McKoy	151	(3)
A Bad, Bad Man	154	(2)
Break of Day	156	(1)
Rent Day Blues	157	(1)
The Ballad of Joe Meek	158	(7)
NO HIDING PLACE
Part One: HARLEM STOPOVER
Harlem Happiness	165	(2)
Negro Improvement League	167	(1)
The Temple	168	(1)
Roberta Lee	169	(2)
Real Mammy Song	171	(1)
The Law for George	172	(3)
The New Congo	175	(2)
Part Two: THE COTTON SOUTH
Arkansas Chant	177	(2)
The Young Ones	179	(1)
Old Lem	180	(2)
Sharecroppers	182	(1)
Master and Man	183	(2)
Part Three: DOWN IN ATLANTA
Southern Cop	185	(2)
Mr. Danny	187	(1)
An Old Woman Remembers	188	(2)
Transfer	190	(2)
Episode	192	(1)
All Are Gay	193	(4)
Part Four: ``ROCKS CRIED OUT''
Legend	197	(3)
Bitter Fruit of the Tree	200	(1)
Memo: For the Race Orators	201	(3)
Crossing	204	(2)
Call for Barnum	206	(2)
Song of Triumph	208	(1)
Remembering Nat Turner	209	(2)
Part Five: ROAD TO THE LEFT
Raise a Song	211	(3)
Colloquy	214	(2)
Street Car Gang	216	(2)
Side by Side	218	(5)
Part Six: FRILOT COVE
Let Us Suppose	223	(2)
Cloteel	225	(2)
Parish Doctor	227	(2)
Uncle Joe	229	(2)
Louisiana Pastoral	231	(2)
Part Seven: WASHINGTON, D.C.
Glory, Glory	233	(2)
Choices	235	(1)
No More Worlds to Conquer	236	(1)
Call Boy	237	(2)
Puttin' on Dog	239	(2)
Part Eight: REMEMBRANCES
April in Coolwell	241	(2)
Coolwell Vignette	243	(2)
Honey Man Love	245	(2)
Memories of Salem	247	(2)
Idyll	249	(1)
One Way of Taking Leave	250	(1)
Isaiah to Mandy	251	(1)
Conjured	252	(1)
Long Track Blues	253	(2)
An Annotated Bibliography	255
Robert G. O'Meally