A Flint Incentive: Selected Poems & Texts (2015-2020)

Synopsis

'Are these the bone communities?'

A Flint Incentive collects the majority of Richard Skelton's writing since 2015-over one hundred and forty texts from numerous small press pamphlets, poem cards, books and editions. Works include Ferae Naturae (2015), The Not Fire (2015), On Ruin (2018), Chemical Memories (2019), Moraine (2020) and Notes on the Landscape, II (2020).

A significant portion of the book comprises an overview of The Cult Revived, an ongoing literary archaeology of archival sources begun in 2015. At its core, the work contends that echoes of archaic oral cultures can be found in the textual residues of the present. It therefore amasses a 'word moraine' by randomly intermingling elements from a range of subjects, including archaeology, ecology, geology, toponymy, mythology, religion and folklore. This material then becomes the site for a series of poetic excavations.

The book also contains Skelton's long poem, Dark Hollow Dark (2019)-a 'chant in seven parts' that absorbs textual spolia from various archaic sources to explore other-than-human voices. In addition to his poetry, A Flint Incentive contains excerpts from his two works of fiction, The Look Away (2018) and And Then Gone (2020). The collection is completed by a new sequence of twenty-five poems, entitled The Second Chamber, written during the late summer, autumn and early winter of 2019.

Summary

Chapter 1: Flint and Fire

* Summary: Explores the hardships and resilience of Flint, Michigan, in the wake of the water crisis.
* Real example: "The Pale Blue Eye of Flint" portrays the contaminated water as a "pale blue eye" staring upon the city, highlighting the pervasive nature of the crisis.

Chapter 2: Native Articulations

* Summary: Celebrates Indigenous voices and perspectives, often through the lens of oral tradition.
* Real example: "The Anishinaabe Creation Story (in Seven Stanzas)" retells the origin myth of the Anishinaabe people, honoring their connection to the land and their spiritual beliefs.

Chapter 3: Ecologies of Sorrow

* Summary: Addresses environmental degradation and its impact on both human and natural communities.
* Real example: "Baghdad Elegy" laments the destruction of Iraq's environment due to war and pollution, drawing parallels between the wounds inflicted upon the land and those suffered by its people.

Chapter 4: The Transnational Uncanny

* Summary: Explores the interconnectedness of global issues and the ways in which they reverberate across borders.
* Real example: "Tehran at Night" captures the surreal and disorienting atmosphere of a city under siege, highlighting the universality of fear and isolation in times of conflict.

Chapter 5: Textual Archives and Witnessing

* Summary: Examines the role of literature and poetry in documenting and bearing witness to history.
* Real example: "A Flint Incentive: Selected Texts" compiles official documents and personal testimonies from the Flint water crisis, creating a powerful and multifaceted account of the disaster.

Chapter 6: Sound and Silence

* Summary: Explores the tension between sound and silence, both as metaphors for expression and repression.
* Real example: "Silent Symphony" depicts the eerie stillness that envelops Flint after the water crisis, representing both the trauma inflicted and the resilience that follows.

Chapter 7: Elegies and Imperatives

* Summary: Mourns lost lives and communities while also offering hope and a call to action.
* Real example: "Elegy for Abu Ghraib" confronts the horrors of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, urging us to remember the victims and fight against injustice.

Chapter 8: The Power of Memory

* Summary: Explores the transformative power of memory, both personal and collective.
* Real example: "The Color Purple: A Memoir" recounts the author's experiences growing up in rural Georgia, highlighting the resilience and strength found in preserving one's story.

Chapter 9: Metaphors for Healing

* Summary: Examines the use of metaphors and imagery to express and heal trauma.
* Real example: "A Shadow of Blue: A Story of Perseverance" weaves a lyrical and poignant narrative about a young woman's journey of recovery from a difficult past.

Chapter 10: Unfolding Narratives

* Summary: Presents a series of interconnected narratives that explore themes of identity, loss, and hope.
* Real example: "The Family Tapestry" tells the story of a family's fractured history through a series of intimate vignettes, offering a nuanced and multifaceted exploration of human relationships.