Not Even October

Not Even October is a poignant, wry and sharply observed collection about memory, masculinity and modern life. With a compelling and humane voice, Relf captures the quiet dramas of everyday life – from dog-walking to clearing out a loft, from Zoom quizzes to roadside deer collisions. These poems are rich in tenderness, self-awareness and humour, shaped by middle age, grief and friendship. Relf's lines evoke love lost and found, late-night regrets, and the flickering, beautiful absurdities of being alive in a digital, distracted world. Whether recalling childhood poaching expeditions, TV jingles or hotel hangovers, his poems return always to the question: How do we hold on to what matters – and let go of what doesn't? Not Even October is a powerful and accessible collection from a poet who speaks directly to the reader – and whose words linger long after the page is turned.