Collected Poems

<p>Excerpt from Introduction by Iain Sharp:</p><p> </p><p>Irishness Maoritanga proudly held working-class values rock 'n' roll buses trains ferries Baudelaire - you'll find them all in this book. Moods vary from poem to poem as you would expect from a lifetime's work. Inevitably there are moments of sadness and a deep anger at social inequities underlies some of the satire. Yet what strikes me most when I leaf through Michael's collected poems is how often the tone is celebratory. What prompts Michael to write? I think he's driven by a need to pay homage to the people (whether pop stars pals or partners) places and times he's loved. There's an inextinguishable joyousness at the heart of Michael's work that makes reading him an upbeat and uplifting experience.</p>