The Penny Dropping

The Penny Dropping is a collection of poems that explore the complexities of a cherished relationship from first meeting to eventual break-up, offering a retrospective clarity and a new value to the past. Helen Farish won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection for Intimates (2005) and was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 25 April 2024
Publisher: Bloodaxe Books Ltd

The Penny Dropping is a collection of poems that chronicles the journey of a cherished relationship from its initial meeting to its eventual break-up. The author's perspective is shaped by the distance that has allowed her to gain retrospective clarity, despite the challenges that come with it. In the poem "Pretty Woman," the speaker reflects on her past relationship, acknowledging the pain and difficulty of moving on. However, the poems ultimately challenge the notion that the penny has dropped too late, as they re-evaluate the past and assign a new and altered value to it. In "Films We Saw at the Phoenix," the speaker recalls a couple whose relationship has also ended, but they reflect on their love tenderly, spreading it out like a tapestry that only they could see. The immediate power of these poems is evident, as much is at stake on every page. Helen Farish's collection Intimates (2005) won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and both Intimates and The Penny Dropping were shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize.

Weight: 134g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781852249960