36
PARTISAN REVIEW
found a lower level and a more rapid tempo and I heard someone
shout:
"Brothers and sisters, my text this morning is the <Blackness of
Blackness.'
"
And a congregaticm of voices answered: "That blackness is most
black, brother, most black
..."
"In the beginning .
.."
"At the very start," they cried.
" ...
there was blackness
"
"Preach it
..."
"..•
and the sun
"The sun, Lawd
..."
" ...
was bloody red .
.."
"Red .
.."
"Now black is
..."
the preacher shouted.
"Bloody .
.."
"I said black is
..."
"Preach it, brother.
. "
" ...
an' black ain't
..."
"Red, Lawd, red: He said it's red!"
"Amen, brother .
.."
"Black will git you
. . "
"Yes, it will
. . ."
"...
an' black won't
"Naw, it won't!"
"It do
"
"It do, Lawd
..."
" ...
an' it don't."
"Halleluiah
. . ."
"
" ...
It'll put you glory, glory, Oh my Lawd, zn the
WHALE'S
BELLY."
"Preach it, dear brother.
" ...
an' make you tempt.
"Good God a-mighty!"
"Old Aunt Nelly!"
"Black will make you .
.."
"Black .
.."
" ...
or black will un-make you."
