A series of poems which speak of the deep-bone truths of humanity, incorporating the crafted cartilage of comedy and yet also the pointed ends of pain, is a description which could be applied to Martin Kratz’s debut pamphlet ‘A Skeleton’s Progress’.

Published by Poetry Salzburg, the body of poems is a tenderly pieced-together pamphlet accumulating material from more than ten years of work. Kratz, who is also an Associate Lecturer in English at Manchester Metropolitan University and has publications including Mount London (co-editor) to his name, spoke of the writing process as part of his pamphlet launch at Manchester’s Sandbar on Thursday 21 June.

The room itself was decorated with more Skeleton poems from influential authors, lending a real atmospheric effect.

Also reading on the night were two poets and good friends of Kratz – Michael Conley and Kim Moore. Kratz introduced the evening with an expression of gratitude to a packed audience in the back room of the bar; with members including poet Keith Hutson (who helped sell pamphlets on the night), Manager of the Writing School James Draper, poet and lecturer Anjum Malik and the Manchester Metropolitan University House Poets John Fennelly and Mark Pajak.

Conley then began his slot with a reading of four poems of his own, as well as a piece of verse from the Victorian poet George Meredith – which had surprisingly confessional themes. Conley’s poetry was innovative and enthused, exploring analogies including a man covered in moss, as well as poems about Johan Cruijff and a jellyfish in a jar.

Kim Moore followed with powerful series of poems, including a number from her series ‘All The Men I Never Married’, as well as a piece which she dedicated to her friendship with Martin, to mass applause.

Finally, Kratz himself took to the microphone, proceeding straight into the poems – with his pamphlet exploring the life and encounters of a symbolic ‘Skeleton Man’ figure. Split into numbered sections, the audience listened the opening lines of Skeleton Man visiting a tattooist, later ‘hunkered in the library stacks’. Kratz's relaxed reading style encouraged audience empathy: allowing the imagery to allure in its own right.

Kratz read a number of different sections from the pamphlet, exposing multiple themes and a deeply developed narrative. Section V opened with ‘VOTE SKELETON’ and delves into Skeleton Man’s short-lived political career, which in his introductory speech, Kratz made a point of distancing himself from. Stripping back facades and revealing the structures beneath can after all be a painful process and a learning curve, as the poems explore.

For ‘A Skeleton’s Progress’ is a pamphlet with possible parallels with Kratz’s own life and assessment of inward structures – but also asks questions of the audience and allows for introspection. Developing rhythm and pace, the warm humour of ‘A Skeleton Man’s Best Friend’ provided a breeze of refreshment in itself. A particularly visceral point was during the reading of poem ‘Invertebrates’, describing worms hanging ‘along every rib and from the lip of your every socket’.

Kratz’s reading ended with the final two poems in his pamphlet – ‘Travels of a Weather-Exposed Skeleton Man’ followed by the poignant ‘In Your Absence’, all the while, the poetic voice reflecting on the Skeleton Man, drawing out ever-more resonant realisations.

This was a powerful series of poems delivered with warmth and received with massive applause.  For more on Martin Kratz and to purchase the ‘A Skeleton’s Progress’ pamphlet, visit the Poetry Salzburg website.

Photo credit to Spencer Meeks

By Emily Oldfield