In My Flirtation with International Socialism, Gerry Murphy proves himself to be one of the most inquisitive and unconventional of contemporary Irish poets.
These poems move seamlessly from blink-and-you’ve-missed-it one-line observation to the more considered and affecting works of love and loss that are among his great strengths. Throughout there is anarchic humour, robust engagement with historical and literary figures, and a deep-seated pride in the poet’s native land, to which his work so often serves as homage.
Reviews of Gerry Murphy’s previous collection, End of Part One:
“This is a poet who understands rhythm and voice as he understands the complexity of human emotion.”
The Irish Times
“Murphy’s voice is salacious, funny, pithy, angry-making, often verging on the side-of-the-mouth and, dare one add, tender... This is a worthwhile book, energetic and wise.”
Poetry Ireland Review
Gerry Murphy was born in Cork in 1952. His collections of poetry include A Small Fat Boy Walking Backwards (1985, 1992) and four previous volumes from Dedalus, Rio de la Plata and All That (1993), The Empty Quarter (1995), Extracts from the Lost Log-Book of Christopher Columbus (1999) and Torso of an Ex-Girlfriend (2002). End of Part One: New and Selected Poems (Dedalus, 2007) appeared in 2006 to critical and popular acclaim. In 2008 his work was adapted for actors and musicians by Crazy Dog Audio Theatre and, as The People’s Republic of Gerry Murphy, had a week-long run at the Everyman Palace in Cork. Pocket Apocalypse, his translations of the Polish poet Katarzyna Borun-Jagodzinska, appeared in 2005 from Southword Editions.
These poems move seamlessly from blink-and-you’ve-missed-it one-line observation to the more considered and affecting works of love and loss that are among his great strengths. Throughout there is anarchic humour, robust engagement with historical and literary figures, and a deep-seated pride in the poet’s native land, to which his work so often serves as homage.
Reviews of Gerry Murphy’s previous collection, End of Part One:
“This is a poet who understands rhythm and voice as he understands the complexity of human emotion.”
The Irish Times
“Murphy’s voice is salacious, funny, pithy, angry-making, often verging on the side-of-the-mouth and, dare one add, tender... This is a worthwhile book, energetic and wise.”
Poetry Ireland Review
Gerry Murphy was born in Cork in 1952. His collections of poetry include A Small Fat Boy Walking Backwards (1985, 1992) and four previous volumes from Dedalus, Rio de la Plata and All That (1993), The Empty Quarter (1995), Extracts from the Lost Log-Book of Christopher Columbus (1999) and Torso of an Ex-Girlfriend (2002). End of Part One: New and Selected Poems (Dedalus, 2007) appeared in 2006 to critical and popular acclaim. In 2008 his work was adapted for actors and musicians by Crazy Dog Audio Theatre and, as The People’s Republic of Gerry Murphy, had a week-long run at the Everyman Palace in Cork. Pocket Apocalypse, his translations of the Polish poet Katarzyna Borun-Jagodzinska, appeared in 2005 from Southword Editions.