In the 'Afterpiece,' the author writes:

'The poems selected for this volume range from serious attempts at poetry to serious attempts at saving money on cards for special occasions. All are true reflections of real incidents... even 'Early One Thursday Morning.'

In relation to the song lyrics he further notes:

'[They] do not always sit easily on a page alone, unless of course when written by the Paul Kellys and Bernie Taupins of this world. Music somehow gives even mundane words energy and pizzazz, while also often forcing rhymes and rhythms, and masculine and feminine endings to phrases that might in pure poetry be expressed otherwise. The lyrics chosen here are those which I believe have some life, however limited, beyond musical expression - whether through metre, imagery, word play or simply the idea expressed. I'll leave it to you the reader to judge whether they succeed or not' (p37).