Rotten Days in Late Summer

In Rotten Days in Late Summer, Ralf Webb explores the textures of class, youth, adulthood, and death in the working communities of the West Country. The book is a rare thing, razor-sharp, and heart-breaking. It is shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize, the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and the John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 27 May 2021
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

In Rotten Days in Late Summer, Ralf Webb delves into the intricate tapestry of class, youth, adulthood, and death within the working communities of the West Country. Through his poetic lens, he explores the lives of individuals ranging from mobile home park residents to boyish factory workers and saleswomen who are perpetually on the road, enduring long days of travel. Webb's poetry also delves into the complexities of masculinity, capturing the yearning for young love and the challenges faced by men in a society that often expects them to adhere to rigid gender norms.

Three sequences dominate Webb's collection: "Love Stories," which explores the intricacies of multiple relationships; "Diagnostics," which tells the story of the poet's father's death from cancer; and "Treetops," a virtuosic long poem that weaves together grief and mental health struggles in an attempt to make sense of the overwhelming data of a life.

The world depicted in Webb's poems is both intimate and perilous, filled with lustrous and difficult moments. Whole existences are lived within the spin of almost-inescapable fates, leaving the reader with a sense of both awe and empathy for the characters who inhabit this poetic realm.

In Rotten Days in Late Summer, Ralf Webb has crafted a remarkable collection of poetry that explores the depths of human experience with tenderness, honesty, and a keen eye for detail. His work deserves to be recognized and celebrated for its powerful and evocative language, and it serves as a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the essence of the human condition.

Weight: 106g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780141992730