Favorite song Quote by James McBride
““That was the Old Man’s favorite song. “Blow Ye Trumpet.” Them Negroes was far away from the doings on the plaza where the Old Man was to hang, way out from it. But they sang it loud and clear…. Blow ye trumpet blow Blow ye trumpet blow…. You could hear their voices for a long way, seemed like they lifted up and carried all the way into the sky, lingering in the air long afterward. And up above the church, high above it, a strange black-and-white bird circled ‘round, looking for a tree to roost on, a bad tree, I expect, so he could alight upon it and get busy, so that it would someday fall and feed the others.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez, 2014
A vivid scene where music and a black bird symbolize hope and impending change amid oppression.
In simple terms: Music lifts spirits; a bird foreshadows transformation.
Key Takeaway
Notice how art can inspire change.
Themes
hope
music
oppression
transformation
nature
Mood
reflective
poetic
Type
narrative
symbolic
When to use this quote
- protests
- community gatherings
- urban storytelling
- environmental activism
Key Concepts
Symbolism
foreshadowing
resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- How can art motivate social change?
- What does the bird represent?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may be too abstract for practical action.
