The idea for this book originated from Wendy Cope's experience of meeting her audience by reading her poems in schools. This edition of the poems acknowledges references, rhyme schemes, contexts, and the circumstances of her work, offering readers a new arrangement of her poetry as a whole.

The notes also specify composition dates, making it possible to observe the development of her work. Beyond the analysis of her three previously published books, the selection also includes a significant number of poems compiled or published for the first time.