Author Description

Purification: February 2025 Volume 22 in the ongoing series collecting the song lyrics written by the Irish singer-songwriter Paul Murphy, this anthology collects the material created during February 2025. Picking up where Doorways: January 2025 ended, this volume contains the works that Paul managed to complete before succumbing to the muscle-wasting neuro-degenerative condition that he had battled for over 10 years. Amazingly, Paul crafted 62 songs in just 28 days, including works as diverse as the Trump-administration observation 'Firin' Line'; the excoriating UK political commentaries '"People Like You"' and 'England's Shame', the latter a rail against the systems that fail the young and the infirm and the vulnerable; the harrowing 'Wrong', a 2-person duologue about a female being pressurised into 'going all the way'; 'Down Here', a look at the grim underside of society where exploitation and predatory behaviour runs unchecked; the pinwheel twist narrative allegory 'Down The Geen-Eyed Highway'; and, poignantly, a final ballad of love and devotion, and appreciation, to his young children - 'With You In My Arms'. A final collection of storytelling prose-work from a master of the genre. From 'Living Like You Choose' I hear what you're asking But I can't comply Don't you feign perplexion You know full well why I've reviewed your offers Nothing I can use You're the one who suffers Living like you choose I know who you left with Where you journeyed to The people you've befriended They're not good for you I showed you an exit You said "I refuse" You'll come to regret it Living like you choose It's a funeral parlour What you're calling 'home' You're a prized possession To those you've never known<