Purification: - February 2025 -

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 Someone turned the light out Or you blew its fuse There's always an element of doubt Living like you choose From 'Mockingbird' Wind's a-blowin' thru' the trees Sign's a shakin' on the rail I'm down on my bended knees Sayin' "Lord, don't let me fail" All my sins are pilin' up Wonder where my morals went I've drank from pleasure's warming cup Too late now to repent... I look thru' my photographs Many lovers, so few friends Lot of questions I could ask What would it matter, in the end? Coyote singin' my name Out on the broken veranda My last wife left here hurlin' blame Never did understand her My mind's become a patchwork quilt Time's a mirage I can't reach All my graveside flowers wilt My waves no longer make the beach I turn on my radio An' hear an obituary It's for somebody I don't know Guess it could be for me From 'The Hypocrite's Oath' Are you working hard today, destroying lives? Sitting nice and pretty in your country estate Letters after your name They should spell out 'Shame' Let's hope they catch up with you before it gets too late Fine wines on your table, nose full of Doctor Good Making life-or-death decisions in a stupor Your children live real well Ours, you send to Hell But watch out what you're signing, in case the past becomes the future Maybe you wanna pack your bags and run Try an' find a hidin' place somewhere under the sun The fuse is nearly there, your time has nearly come We're g