When the Time Comes

''Never read a verse novel? Here''s a beauty. The world Helen Swain creates rings true from the very first page, as she explores the complexities of a carer''s life with brevity, honesty, and wry wit. Helen brilliantly evokes the tensions between an ageing mother and a daughter who wants to care for her When the time comes. This book is an act of profound respect for carers and their hard-won knowledge and experience. You won''t want to put it down, even if your tea''s getting cold and the dog''s whining for a walk.'' - Dr Gina Mercer, poet and editor

''Elegiac and devastating, this poetry collection reimagines how we survive and care alongside family loyalties, death and dementia. Helen Swain is a poet of our unfathomable futures who mingles love and legacy with shot rabbits and disposable sheets to offer us an original and searing pastoral requiem.'' - Dr Katrina Schlunke, Adjunct Associate Professor, Sydney University