Night-Watch Man & Muse

Mark A Murphy''s debut collection is a book on the side of life, full of honesty, humour and invention. It begins with ''Britain'', an elegy and eulogy for his home country that blurs the personal (his father''s love of Auden, and brass bands) and the political (the Miners'' Strike, the horror of Dresden). What follows is filled with emotional drive and a spiritual restlessness, edgily watching over some of our most poignant and philosophical questions.

"It contains some of the liveliest modern love poems I have read, yet also some of the harshest self-examinations." – David Morley

"Here is a poet willing to take on demanding themes… A questioning and thoughtful collection." – Penelope Shuttle


Mark A. Murphy was born in 1969. His poems have been published in the likes of the Warwick Review, The Stinging Fly, Poetry Scotland and Poetry New Zealand. He lives in Huddersfield.

Mark A Murphy''s debut collection is a book on the side of life, full of honesty, humour and invention. It begins with ''Britain'', an elegy and eulogy for his home country that blurs the personal (his father''s love of Auden, and brass bands) and the political (the Miners'' Strike, the horror of Dresden). What follows is filled with emotional drive and a spiritual restlessness, edgily watching over some of our most poignant and philosophical questions.

"It contains some of the liveliest modern love poems I have read, yet also some of the harshest self-examinations." – David Morley

"Here is a poet willing to take on demanding themes… A questioning and thoughtful collection." – Penelope Shuttle


Mark A. Murphy was born in 1969. His poems have been published in the likes of the Warwick Review, The Stinging Fly, Poetry Scotland and Poetry New Zealand. He lives in Huddersfield.