Walking Papers: Poems

by Thomas Lynch

A decade's worth of poems by one of our most reliable witnesses, National Book Award finalist Thomas Lynch. In his fourth collection of poems, Thomas Lynch attends to flora, fauna, and fellow pilgrims: dead poets and living masters, a former president and his factotums, a sin-eater and inseminator. Faux-bardic and mock-epic, deft at lament and lampoon, fete and feint, Lynch's poems are powerful medicines, tonics for the long haul and home-going.

from "Walking Papers"
      You can think of it as punctuation
     and maybe take some comfort from that, friend―
     a question mark or exclamation point―
     no matter, we're all sentenced to an end,
     the movers and the shakers, bon vivants,
     all ne'er-do-wells and nincompoops, savants,
     sage and sluggard, deft and daft alike:
     everyone's given their walking papers.

Genres: Poetry

96 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Thomas Lynch has authored five collections of poetry, one of stories, and four books of essays, including National Book Award Finalist The Undertaking. He works as a funeral director in Milford, Michigan, and teaches at the Bear River Writer’s Conference.

Reviews

[Keith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, yes, he's a friend. And I like all the things he has worked on over the years, have felt the urgency and importance of essays and stories. But I will always prefer the Lynch I knew first, the poet. When this book came out, I was prepared for it and wasn't disappointed.

Here's a little thing I wrote back in the day:

https://annarborobserver.com/articles...

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Thomas Lynch's poetry that I've read. I found his work to be wonderful, readable, and relatable. My favorites were "To Be Among These Elegant Voices", "Local Heroes" and "Alchemy"--although the opening poem "Euclid" is pretty terrific too. The theme for this collection has to do with the pilgrims you meet along life's journey. Would definitely recommend.

[Randy Cauthen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. "The Names of Donkeys" is good, and some of the anti-Bush poems OK. A disturbingly large number of the others end with a shrugging, "life goes on" gesture -- which, granted, if I were Catholic I'd probably feel too.

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title poem is more than worth the price of admission. Top notch work. Not to be missed.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb collection of poems. I particularly enjoyed the homage to libraries in To Be Among These Elegant Voices, especially the line-"He's right, of course, books can make us crazy, or give us hope, or make us question things." Several poems discuss and ruminate on death. The poem, Walking Papers is a letter to a dying friend and Lament is one in memory of a deceased friend. They aren't sad or depressing poems, but rather a refreshing look at the inevitable. The phrase, "life goes on" is often repeated. I had some good laughs reading the story poem, The Names of Donkeys. Thomas Lynch is an excellent poet who tugs at emotions, causing you to laugh and cry, sometimes in the same line. I'm pleased I discovered him.

[Maggie Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite poem in this volume is Local Heros.

Some great lines and words:

From all of time, this late July, this moment, from every other one, this one and only.

... in every start, an end.

Some days the worst that can happen happens.


And if the ends do not justify the means, still, ends are what we're after.

... Listen --
something's going to get you in the end.
The numbers are fairly convincing on this,
hovering, as they do, around a hundred
percent. We die. And more's the pity.


Also, some great words and phrases he used:

Anecdotage
Oddments
Carpe momentum

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Thomas Lynch a few years back and he is such and interesting person. I really enjoyed listening to him talk. And his writing is incredible.

[R.R. Tavárez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy how Lynch's writing feels familiar and is yet distinct. This collection of poetry is simple, but contains some moving pieces. I have marked a few favorites.