Poyums Annaw

by Len Pennie

There isn't a timescale for how you should heal
Your bad days are valid, your heartache is real
But so is the day that your smile will return
That fire within you continues to burn
You will overcome this and continue to thrive
You are here, you are loved, you are whole, you're alive.

A formidable follow up to her award-winning debut poetry collection, Len Pennie’s poyums annaw is just like defiant, angry and trailblazing. These poems are a call to arms, confronting ideas of patriarchy, gender-based violence and societal injustice with equal parts tenderness, quick-wit and righteous fury. poyums annaw firmly cements Len as a defining voice in contemporary Scots poetry.

Genres: Poetry, Audiobook, Nonfiction

127 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Len Pennie is a Scottish poet and Scots language and mental health advocate. She became known on social media in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland for her "Scots word of the day" and poem (Scots: poyum) videos. As of January 2024, her Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok accounts collectively number over 1.2 million followers worldwide.

Reviews

[Reuben Thomas]

Take everything I said about Pennie’s first poyums collection and times it by 2. Simply delicious. Her performance is so passionate and visceral, she never fails to give me chills, make me smirk and snort, or prick my eyes with tears in the right places. She is an immensely talented woman and every man who scoffs at her and tries to tear her down proves just how right and necessary her work is. I can’t wait for the day their kids are studying her in school.

[Ella (The Story Collector)]

A collection of defiant, angry and witty poems tackling ideas of societal injustice, patriarchy and gender-based violence written in a combination of English and Scots.

I’m not usually into poetry, but some of these poems really resounded with me and I was very surprised. My particular favourites were Dad, The Good Guys, and The Vow.

I did struggle to read some of the more Scots-heavy poems, but I was really intrigued and impressed by the multi-lingual writing.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[alailiander]

This is a gut-wrenching collection and I'd be hard pressed to select a favorite from its pages. There are so many brutal and beautiful pieces in it. The sheer number of lines and stanzas that made me stop and read them again were not few or far between!

(I obviously struggled to read the poems in Scots, but I did love trying to!)

[Cassie C]

As would make sense, poyums annaw follows in much the same way as its predecessor. Pennie’s poems are powerful, moving and demonstrate deep feeling, both on deeply personal topics, and on those broader societal issues. I will say that they do start to blend together a bit because some are very similar in subject and in meter, but I still greatly appreciate Pennie’s work, especially with her incorporating Scots into her pieces.

[Hannah Jung]

These are strong, fearless and ferocious poems about being a woman, surviving and standing up to abusers.

Written in a mixture English and Scots, full of humour, puns and wordplay, this is also a collection that celebrates the power of language and identity.

It’s very raw and personal, but at the same time advocating for all women and all victims of the abuse of power.

[Katie ratherbereadinggg]

5 stars

[Aimée]

In ihrer zweiten Gedichtsammlung gibt es drei größere Themen: Schottland (natürlich), ihren Vater und ihren Exfreund, der sie misshandelt, gestalkt und psychisch terrorisiert hat. Leider ist diese zweite Anthologie zur selben Zeit erschienen wie die BBC-Dokumentation über ihren Kampf gegen ihn und das schottische Justizsystem, was die Neuerscheinungsfreude der Armen etwas trübte.

Umso schöner, dass sie immer wieder Lichtblicke und Kraft gefunden hat, über Blödsinn zu schreiben und für ihre Familie dankbar zu sein.
Besonders gut hat mir diesmal ihre Rede über Haggis zur Burns Night gefallen, das war höchst unterhaltsam. Auch das wortzwitzgespickte Gedicht über Mann vs. Bär war großartig. Schließlich motivierte mich "Your Poetry is Shite", endlich mal wieder selbst den Stift in die Hand zu nehmen.

Und ich glaube, mein Scots wird langsam besser - zumindest trainiere ich fleißig mit "Shetland"-Folgen im O-Ton.
Ihr Gedicht "The Vow" verteilt sie übrigens gratis überall, damit es für Hochzeiten oder Ehe-Erneuerungen verwendet werden kann. Süß!




~ 21.05.2026

[Caro]

What a brilliant poetry book about being a women, surviving domestic abuse and being filled with rage. A beautiful mix of pieces in English and Scotts.

[Oana]

Can I say AGAIN I don't like poetry but I do like Len Pennie?
(The last poem was a bit heartbreaking, FYI.)

[enja reads]

A follow up to her first collection of poetry Poyums (2024), Poyums Annaw delivers as much of a powerful punch, if not more. The poems are filled with humor and rage, a mix of English and Scots (the latter admittedly a challenge for me to read, but a load of fun trying). Len Pennie's poetry deals with the personal (domestic violence, experiences with misogyny, mental health) and also the social and political (wealth inequality, domestic violence, gender discrimination, the genocide in Gaza).

It was the poem "Sunbird" about the genocide in Gaza and specifically the brutal murder of five-year-old Hind Rajab that first put her on my radar as a poet. The poem made me weep when I first heard it and it still makes me cry today. Other marvels in this collection include another Gaza-inspired piece, "We're Still Here" and "Let Them Eat Cake," a fierce attack on the billionaire class.

The poems are best read aloud, for it is in reading them aloud (and with a Scottish accent if one can muster it - even poorly) that they pack the biggest emotional punch.

[Adam Carman]

I first read Len Pennie's volume of poetry back at the beginning of the year and was thrilled to grab her sequel volume. Her passionate use of Scots and her embrace of anger and outspokenness set her poetry apart. I will admit, as a man, I cannot claim to understand everything she has been through as a woman and a survivor of domestic abuse and all the crap a woman in the public sphere must put up with on the daily, but her poetry also speaks to me, dealing with my own lack of love and experience of different kinds of abuse. Her raw emotion and willingness to speak out really shines through and her poetry is a gift to a new generation.

[Emmie]

I had the genuine pleasure of seeing Len Pennie read some of the poems from this book in person. Everyone in attendance was spell-bound. She is an incredible performer, and imbues so much passion into these words when she speaks them--I cannot overstate that enough--that reading them on a page afterwards felt a little flat, by way of comparison.

I think the themes at work here are important and 1000% worth writing about. She articulates them in a sharp, biting voice that had me nodding along more often than not. The inclusion of some Scots poems, too, was great. It was lovely to slow down in my reading and learn so many new words.

I do think, though, that these poems were clearly written for spoken word. Which is amazing! It just got a little samey after a while when reading, as opposed to listening. As a more concrete example:

I would say at least 90% of the poems in this collection are written with AABB rhyme scheme. She has a clear mastery of this form as they all flow well, but to the point where they all started to... blend together for me about halfway through?

To be clear, this is a positive review. I consider 3 stars to be a 'good' rating, and I admire Len Pennie and the work she does (that I have read and seen so far), I just would have loved a bit more variety in structure, and a bit more time spent on imagery that shows rather than tells; Good Girl, Sunbird, The Siren, and The Experiment are stand outs for me personally BECAUSE the imagery is so strong in them. I loved them.

I'll be purchasing 'Poyums' when I get a chance to read more, and I'm excited to. Not every poem will be to everyone's tastes, and on the whole, I'd say this was still a strong, raw, and real collection.

[abi slade]

3⭐️

pros ✅
- got me feeling inspired to write poetry again which is always a nice feeling
- there were plenty of poignant lines: “returns will diminish and profits will wane / as she runs out of misery mined from her brain.” (from ‘you’re capitalising on your trauma’)
- as usual, deeply enjoyed the feminist lens that her poetry takes: “Do you ever think Eve felt like more than a rib?” (from ‘the dancer’)
- she writes about love and romance in a way that i very much relate to: “I'm a box that unlocks at the sound of your name; You're a tenant my soul can't quite seem to evict - A juxtaposition I can't contradict.”
- some really heartbreaking moments: “Women who are clearly grieving, / Innocence, once held securely / The loss of something prematurely,” (from ‘he said she said)

cons ❌
- didn’t like it as much as ‘poyums.’
- maybe i needed ‘poyums’ more when i read it. it definitely felt more impactful in the moment: i was nearly crying on the tube, i wrote a quote from it and stuck it on my wall
- i think maybe the scot’s was more accessible in her previous compendium
- there was not a single standout poem that i would call my favourite
- ‘poyums’ had more range in tone, i remember giggling more. ‘poyums annaw’ is much more steadily bitter

[Olivia-Savannah]

So I actually read this last year but left it on my TBR because like with Poyums, I didn't consider it read until I had reread it a second time via audiobook.

Len Pennie reads the audio herself and she is such a spoken word poet. She brings any of the poems written in Scots to life.

The poems in this are quite a range. Many are on misogyny, trauma and are rightfully angry. But some are about love and hope. Feminity and uplifting community. And plenty on the ups and downs on mental health too.

Not all, but many, are in rhyme. And rhyme is so hard to do well! Especially hard to pull off if the poem has a serious subject matter because sometimes rhyme can feel too silly for it. But that's not the case here. Len Pennie is a master of rhyming poetry and makes it look effortless.

Some poems are in English, some Scots. All great!

[Artur Artborg]

Another well-written and impactful poetry collection by Ms. Pennie. In style and subject matter it is very much akin to the original "Poyums", so if you liked that one it's just more of a good thing. Said subject matter is as relevant and important as possible, though the poems consequently become quite depressing to read at times (I think I counted three or four unambigiously positive poems in the collection). There is also more focus on corrupt and/or two-faced politicians and the genocide in Gaza; again, a very relevant and timely read. As before there are some poems (poyums) in Scots, but only about one in five; if anything, I'd like more of those.

Looking forward to more poyums in the future.

[Steven Davis]

This is another delightful and dark, poignant and beautiful collection of poems from Len Pennie - Scottish word of the day on insta and elsewhere. Never afraid to tackle personal/hard topics, but the delight for me is those written in Scottish - being forced to slow down my reading to appreciate them, to almost hear them in her voice and to figure out (or not) all their twists and turns. 'The worm' is just beautiful and thoughtful. The deepness and joy of 'Aince upon a bus ride' - isn't life just that! 'Bad for Business' is just so beautiful and hopeful and 'Sand' is just so powerful.
A collection to be savoured again and again.

[Dr. Lehman L Ellis]

This struck me primarily as a lament. Having learned a bit about Ms Pennie. She has earned the right to expose the issues she faced and the scars she still bears. While the somber and dark
Mood of this book of poems pervades the offerings and occasional ray of hope and recovery does make an appearance. The acknowledgements are worth reading. There were a couple of poems that even seem to reflect my opinions on current events. The poems in the Scottish Gael were a little challenging there is considerable heart and sole to be found there. I am fairly certain I will reread this sometime.

[Kelly (kellyinbookland)]

4.75 stars

I read this for day 14 of the Sealey challenge 2026 (if you don’t know what Sealey is - check out there insta but it’s basically 31 poetry/verse books in the 31 days in August).

Another brilliant collection from Len Pennie. Although I loved the first set a fraction more, I still enjoyed this one immensely especially the ones that had political statements with them.

Standout poems for me: The Feminine Urge, The Hole, Am I flirting with you?, Thine Eye, politically correct, We’re Still here, Her word against his.

[Kevin Michael]

Excellent Poyums

Caledonia is the Latin name for Scotland, used by the Romans. It originally described the area north of their province of Britannia—land largely unconquered by Rome and inhabited by the Caledonii, a Celtic tribe.
• Today, “Caledonia” is often used poetically or nostalgically to refer to Scotland as a whole. You’ll see it in place names (like New Caledonia in the South Pacific) and in Scottish songs, ships, and institutions.

[Jennifer]

Oof, brave choice to fill a slim volume with so many poems focused on her abuser and it was a hard read. But, like Sharon Old's book of poems about the end of her marriage, it works. There's a grim satisfaction in witnessing the empowerment, the poetic putting in of the boot into someone who is deservedly down ('Peekaboo', my goodness) but that wouldn't be enough, the poems have to be good and they are, Scots and English.

[Anthony Robson]

Another brilliant collection of engaging, honest and occasionally brutal poetry. Got this at an event at the local The Wee Bookshop in Dollar where interestingly it was referred to as being more ‘fun’ than the first collection (which was understandably raw, with much of it being written while going through a court case involving her abusive former partner). I felt there was still pain here, but a definite feel of it being retrospective, or from a place of new optimism.

[Nick van Klaveren]

Another incredible poetry bundle from Len Pennie with more poyums about abuse, surviving, politics, female rage and spite, but also of love, humour and wonder. Ranging from emotional, to enraged, to laugh out loud funny. All in satisfying metrics and alliterations, in either Scots or English.
If you tend to say you don't like a lot of poetry (like me), I sincerely recommend you give Len Pennie a try.

[Elena Cami]

I feel awkwardly rating a poetry collection that felt so personal to the poet, but I must admit, it didn't speak to me.

Although it is oozing with feminist rhetoric and intense critique of current affairs,the thoughts and feelings don't run deep; they read almost like Instagram posts.
The language, despite its very functional rhyming, has no lyricism to it.

It felt more like reading song lyrics than actual poetry.

[Bo Forsberg]

She has a wonderful and enchanting way with words

A lovely collection of poems in both English and the Scots language. Interesting subjects, as well as sometimes mesmerising combinations of words. I find myself reading the poems silently to myself so that I can taste the words. Highly recommended if you like poetry.

[Hannah]

Len Pennie hit an early peak with her first poetry volume and this timely sequel continues that peak. She wrote many of these verses while going through some personal turmoil and it was clearly therapeutic for her - the catharsis and passion ooze from the pages. There's also more Scots in this one which for me is a massive bonus.

[Simon Pitfield]

The queen of the power couplet delivers another powerful collection, fizzing with anger and strength and firing off some amazing and unexpected polysyllabic rhymes. As you'd expect me to say, these pieces work even better in performance, so hie ye along to wherever this fearsome machar is holding the stage. She willnae disappoint.

[Shannon A]

Pennie’s poetry is deeply personal, rooted in experience and emotion, it will rip your heart out with fury as it mends and heals you. It will remind you what it is to be human. A gem of a collection you will never forget.

[Gemma Clark]

I really enjoyed these poems. Many were very powerful and relatable. How sad that so many of our experiences as women in the world are universal. I also enjoyed the mix of English and Scots language.

[Barry Hammock]

An excellent poetry collection. Full of raw energy and angst like Alanis Morissette after she stopped being a Canadian pop princess, or Gwen Stefani after her brother left the group and she broke up with her boyfriend.

[Nick hueser]

Second book surpasses first book poyums

Poyums Annaw is an excellent example of Scottish poetry by an extraordinary talent in modern poetry. The words are put together with care to evocavate the sometimes troubled history of the author