Literary Hub

Poet and Undertaker Thomas Lynch on Our Monumental Grief

Hosted by Paul Holdengräber, The Quarantine Tapes chronicle shifting paradigms in the age of social distancing. Each day, Paul calls a guest for a brief discussion about how they are experiencing the global pandemic.

Paul Holdengräber is joined by poet, author, and undertaker Thomas Lynch on Episode 110 of the Quarantine Tapes. Thomas speaks with consideration about how this pandemic is altering our experiences of death and grief, drawing from his half a century of experience in funeral home work. Paul and Thomas talk about the role of the community in grief and how the need for social distancing in this pandemic is disrupting that work. Thomas offers both a professional and a personal perspective on grief, poetry, and the importance of being better to each other in coping with this time of monumental loss.

From the episode:

Thomas Lynch: Poetry was, and remains, the closest thing to prayer that I know.

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To listen to the episode, as well as the whole archive of The Quarantine Tapes, subscribe and listen on iTunes or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts.

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