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You are a human animal.

You are a very special breed.

Or you are the only animal.

Who can think, who can reason, who can read.

Hello, and welcome to Bookworm.

I'm Michael Silverblad, and today my guest is Thomas Lynch.

His most recent book is a book of essays called Bodies in Motion and at Rest on Metaphor and Mortality.

He's the author as well of three books of poems,

one the most recent Still Life in Milford,

Gray Malkin, and Skating with Heather Grace.

That was his first book.

His book, The Undertaking Life Studies from the Dismal Trade, was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Now, although Mr. Lynch is becoming known as an undertaker and funeral director, as a writer, he is a poet and an essayist, and I thought it would be very

interesting for us to begin this show by hearing one of his early poems and an explanation

of how he came to write it from the most recent book, Bodies in Motion and at Rest.

The poem, which you're about to hear, is Venice.

It's from Skating with Heather Graiths, and it's my guest, Thomas Lynch.

Thank you, Michael.

Venice.

My wife undressing in the moonlight, sleeve by sleeve.

Late duty with our croupy middle sun, she got to breathe by coaxing medicine and vaporub

...