The collected work of Val Kirkham, the name under which I wrote most of my poetry. I wrote my first poem at the age of six, and have written continually all my life. When I moved to Nelson in 1982 my life changed completely, and for the first time I had leisure to explore my talents properly. I also made use of this time to join societies and clubs, get out and meet people, which had not been largely possible up to that point in my life, being married at eighteen, walking out on the marriage six years later and having to bring up two young children alone whilst working as best I could. When I thought them old enough I began to study the great love of my life, cooking. In 1976 I emerged from Leeds Polytechnic with a certificate in hotel management and several City and Guilds under my belt, and started working in the catering industry. So my unexpected leisure came as a welcome change. But instead of writing the books I intended to write, I found myself fully occupied in writing poetry and eventually became a performance poet in clubs around Manchester. 

£9.95

I have moved audiences to tears and laughter in equal measure. I found I had a sixth sense for an audience, and would prepare more than one 'bill of fare', judging the mood as I got on stage and only then deciding what to read. A poetry reading in a jacuzzi hit national headlines, and we were inundated by offers from jacuzzi owners.  We did one specially for the press, in a private club in Barnoldswick, but by far the best was the bathroom showroom in Littleborough. Glenn, the owner, rang and asked us to put on a performance for eighty of his friends and customers. He also said he had a mobile jacuzzi that would enable me to read poetry anywhere - he would hire reindeer and have me pulled through the streets in it at Christmas! "Glenn, you are madder than I am," I replied. Lots of people got in touch after we were national news, among them a man who wanted to make a poetry video for the deaf, and the editor of Lancashire Life. I won't say any more, except read the poems! You can read some of them here. And new poems here.    

Enjoy and please buy a copy! You can get it from www.lulu.com/murfinshaw or from Amazon. 

Or get in touch and you can pick one up from me or I can post one to you.

NB most of these poems, the earlier ones, were published in nine separate 'samisdat' editions, using a friendly local printer's photocopier, and cut and paste collage for the covers. I have republished and recreated the covers here, and added another three books to cover the complete collection. Though I say it myself, I think them rather beautiful. Do take a look.