Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphor and Mortality

As in his previous collection, The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade, Lynch muses on contemporary American life with an appealing mix of light and dark. The effect can be striking, especially in his essays on the death of a crafty old gravedigger; the alcoholism he inherited from his father and, devastatingly, watches develop in his son; his divorce and the wicked poem he later writes about his ex-wife. His prose is always lively, though in several essays he relies on the same cultural touchstones--Bill Gates, the Internet, his Catholic-school upbringing and the "wonderful breasts" of the nuns, and (oddly) the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song "Love the One You're With." More unfortunately, he can lapse into familiar generalizations of the "we boomers" or "as an Irish Catholic" variety. Then again, funeral directors must keep an eye on the habits and statistics of generations and groups (as Lynch puts it, "our favorite parlor game is Demographics and Expectancies"), so perhaps a few familiar generalities are excusable--an occupational hazard of the poet-essayist-mortician. In Lynch's case (and there probably isn't another), they seem a fair exchange for his entertaining and often surprisingly humble wisdom. --John Ponyicsanyi

The only negative I can give is that the book does not surprise you as much as his first book did. How could it? To me, that simply shows Lynch's unique contribution. These essays are a bit longer and more varied. Some of them are based on talks Lynch has given on the lecture circuit for morticians. One such is my favorite. Lynch notes that he is viewed with some suspicion by both poets and funeral directors, and insightfully compares the poem and the funeral. Very well done!
March 19, 2004

I enjoyed the book very much. Lynch is a passionate writer who attacks the work with a poet's sensibility, carefully crafting sentences that are articulate, and better yet, emotionally satisfying. Unfortunately, to me, this turned out out also to be the book's biggest bane. Lynch, the "poet-undertaker" seems to be acutely enamored of his own voice. His prowess as a poet is remarkable, which is perhaps the reason that he exercises very little restraint when infusing his essays with his own poetry or the poetry of other, considerably lesser known poets. Like anyone who struggles for their art, Lynch laments the virtual apathy poets and poetry is shown by society at large, and therefore seens compelled to inject this poetry into the work wherever and whenever possible. To me, it undermines the collection, one that otherwise it truly sincere, poignant, and frequently funny.
August 03, 2000

I recall my early books and the instructors who taught me to look at words, sentances and paragraphs that make up a story. Mr. Lynch appears to pour over his words in a successful effort to make my mind enjoy this book.

I alternatively chuckle, smile, cry and breathe heavy while mind goes places with Mr. Lynch.

A fine book.
July 24, 2000