When I look over the poems in this book, I can trace the course of my life. The various stages are all here: the young woman juggling various boyfriends, the wife adrift amid the joy and terror of new motherhood, and the astounded, adoring granny. Here is the cavalcade of much-loved dogs, the fascination with wildlife, the travel, mistakes, regrets, the heartbreaking leaving of the family home and the sober business of ageing.

Doggedly Onward is Pam Ayress career-defining collected works.

As Britains most read and adored poet, Pam has spent a lifetime bringing joy to us all, providing wise and hilarious insights into the delights and tribulations of daily life. Assembled for the first time in a single volume, Pams life in poems is beautifully illustrated and annotated throughout with her own reflections on six decades of making the nation laugh and cry.