The English Maritime City of Liverpool is internationally recognized as the birth canal of the ethnic-European diaspora.

From the city’s iconic harbor with its three globally recognized buildings dubbed The Three Graces, millions of European and Russian emigres boarded ocean-going vessels.

From each of their ports of call, millions of destitute Europeans fanned out across hostile wildernesses. They built great cities, enterprises and civilizations from South Africa to Australia, the Americas and Canada.

European Capital of Culture

Many European, especially Irish emigrants were destined to remain in Liverpool. In 2008, the city received The European Capital of Culture award.

The Birthplace of the Peoples Music

Over the centuries, the maritime colossus became the Genesis of most of Britain’s cultural, literary and entertainment icons.

The descendant of Irish emigres who arrived in the city in 1858, Liverpool was to become my baptism and birthplace.

The War Against the Black and Tans

My father, Patrick Roe, an Irish-American, was a veteran of four wars, three of the conflicts being frontline hand-to-hand combat. The conflicts included the War of Irish Independence, the Spanish Civil War and World War II.

A price was placed on his head by the British Army during the War against the Tans.

Living the good life and always within walking distance of the River Mersey, I mingled with Liverpool’s great poets, singers, writers and performers.

The Beatles

A contemporary of The Beatles, I recall the Beatles favorite girlfriend, Anita Cochrane. My sister’s best friend, a devotee of Matthew Street and The Cavern, Anita, was dating Paul McCartney.

Our very close family friend, who had the key to our home, went on to have McCartney’s child.

A frequent visitor The Iron Door and The Cavern nightclubs, The Earthlings, a group created and managed from our family home often performed at The Cavern.

Today, a memorial stone to their engagements stands opposite to the door of The Cavern

My Watering Holes

I became acquainted with the presenters of BBC Radio Merseyside, Roger Philips and Co, comedian Ken Dodd, Radio host Billy Butler.

Television drama’s Ricky Tomlinson, musicians like Cy Tucker, legendary blue guitarist Gary Potter, and Charlie Landsborough.

Pat and John Cordwell of The Atlantic on Liverpool’s Dock Road, The Blue Angel, Slater Street, Les and Pat of Coopers Emporium, The Liver and the Liverpool Arms, Matthew Street, and so many similar haunts.

A City of Celebrities

Knowing the maritime city so well, I circulated with those who would become household names. As a world-traveling British seaman, I visited, lived and worked in over 60 countries.

Interestingly, I was the last deck boy to serve on the last of the White Star Line’s Ocean greyhounds, the RMS Britannic.

Because I was a Liverpudlian, I was treated as a minor celebrity wherever in the world I set foot.

Being weaned against this backdrop of culture, I too honed my writing skills and was to become an internationally recognizable poet.

Liverpool was my ink pot

Writing became my passion. Whilst living in Liverpool, living and loving a stroll away from its iconic waterfront, pubs, clubs and nightlife haunts, I penned hundreds of poems and perhaps more stories than Hans Christian Anderson.

Eventually, I penned and published over 70 books and in excess of 2,000 poems.

Today, I am said to be Europe’s most prolific author and novelist. International media articles? How much time have you got?

So, what has God got to do with it?

Everything, as it happens. Spiritual writing for me became a Passion, a driving force.

During those years and to the present, I realized that through the pen, and now the ballad, I could reach out to the world.

I could influence more people than the Archbishop of Liverpool and his counterpart at the Christ the King Cathedral.

How do I see God?

Scattered throughout my collections you will find several score poems and ballad tributes to God, Christianity, the Spiritual hegemony and faith itself.

How do I see God? We all see, or don’t see, the deity in subjective ways. For me, the ultimate persuasive deity is not of human form but the compelling and undeniable natural order of the cosmos.

The pen in His hand, my heart his inkwell

This natural order of al things commands everything from the smallest bade of grass to world epochs. In my ballads you will find you become familiar with the Divine Spirit and his works.

Why? I believe that, like many others before me, I am merely the pen in the Deity’s hand.

Tributes: ‘Mike, I can’t recall being so ‘goose-bumped’ by such spiritually grounded poetry and music …   Subscribed’ ~ Julias Skoolafish.

Dorothy Place in Spain: ‘That’s moved me to tears, so beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.’  

‘A beautiful song! All my respect for you, Mr Walsh! Greetings from Oradea (Romania). Michael Walsh. Let us know what you think.

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