General William Booth Enters into Heaven, and Other Poems

About

Lindsay's 1913 debut collection — featuring the spectacular title poem written to be performed with drum and banjo accompaniment — introduced a new kind of poetry to American letters: democratic, percussive, rooted in African American musical traditions and evangelical Christianity, and designed for oral performance rather than silent reading. Lindsay called himself a 'singing poet' and performed his work with extraordinary physical energy. 'The Congo' and 'General William Booth' have dated in their racial politics but remain remarkable as sonic performances and documents of American cultural complexity.