Dayna Hodge Lynch
Friends with the Undertaker
He greeted me
open-mouthed
toothy hellos each week
as my friends began to feed the earth
like candy floss slipping through
the mouths of loved ones
He made sure they were comfortable
made sure the earth would tether them
when the storms came
made sure they would not wash up
clawing their way to the surface
to feel the sun again
Dayna Hodge Lynch (she/they) is a poet from North Carolina. Dayna is a Black femme who writes to explore life. Dayna received their B.A. in English, a minor in African and African-American Studies at Loyola University of New Orleans, and their MFA from Queens University of Charlotte. Her work can be found in Rattle and Kissing Dynamite and on DaynaHodgeLynch.com.