The Arkansas Testament

'The Arkansas Testament' is a major poetry collection written by Derek Walcott, the Nobel Prize-winning poet from Saint Lucia. Published in 1987, the book is a profound exploration of race, memory, and the complexities of identity. Walcott wrote this collection during a highly celebrated period of his career, just a few years after winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The title refers to a specific, deeply moving sequence of poems within the collection that recount a personal experience Walcott had while traveling in the American South. In the poem, Walcott reflects on a moment of racial prejudice and alienation he experienced in Arkansas. The title links his native Caribbean identity with the harsh historical realities of race in the United States.

The central themes of the collection revolve around the clash between Caribbean memory and the cultural landscape of the United States, where Walcott spent significant time teaching. He grapples with feelings of being an outsider, examining the lingering scars of colonialism and segregation in both the Caribbean and America. The poems are known for their rich, luminous descriptions of nature juxtaposed with historical sorrow.

Derek Walcott had a long and prominent academic career in the United States, most notably teaching at Boston University. He divided his time between his home in the Caribbean and the American academy, a duality that deeply informs the poetry in 'The Arkansas Testament.' His time interacting with American students and traversing the American South heavily influenced the geographic scope of the book.