poyums cover art

poyums

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

poyums

By: Len Pennie
Narrated by: Len Pennie
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

And I have done more than just simply get by

So much more than escape or survive

Through the galvanisation of love, time and patience

I’ll take hold of my story and thrive

After life that was seldom what life ought to be

Through laughter and love I’ll be whole

This story is mine from the cover to spine

And the narrative I will control

Whether she’s writing letters to her younger self, advocating for women’s rights or adapting fairy tales to process an abusive relationship, Len’s voice is bold, unashamedly frank and unmistakably hers.

The poems in this collection, both funny and fiercely feminist, announce a formidable new talent. Moving deftly between English and Scots, poyums is as approachable as it is affecting.

©2024 Len Pennie (P)2024 Canongate Books Poetry Inspiring Funny Heartfelt

Listeners also enjoyed...

 poyums annaw cover art
AuDHD cover art
Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness cover art
The Last Witch of Scotland cover art
The Colour of Magic cover art
Crypt cover art
Will I Ever Have Sex Again? cover art
Gender Rebels cover art
The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle cover art
With Love, Grief and Fury cover art

Critic reviews

"Beautiful poetry and her language is just spectacular." (Jane Godley)
All stars
Most relevant
This book certainly takes you on a journey through the emotions of life, as the author reads it you can really feel each word and it certainly enhances the experience of listening to the book.
It brings up a lot of thinking points and talking points that I'm sure can be taken forward to right wrongs and become a better as people.
It's a heavy to listen to so if your looking for something happy and light, get it but listen to it later as its certainly not one to miss.
It's also peppered with lots of Scots words that even if you don't know them they are written in a way the meaning certainly would not be lost. Very skillfully done.

Fantasticly written book read with all the emotion from the author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Len has such passion in the way she delivers her poems. truly an emotional journey.....but very much enjoyed..wrong word I know ..might need a wee dram after listening and holding her book.
keep goin lass.
from a fellow red

Fiesty Passion

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Brilliantly written and recited. Heartbreaking at times but funny and witty to boot. I can't wait to listen to the next one.

The Scots language

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Len takes you on a journey starting with personal tragedy with the likes of 'Honey' and 'Oh, Look' and finishes with poyums about defiance and hope with the likes of 'Address tae the Leid' and ''I'm No Havin Children'. There is a lot here and it can be an emotional rollercoaster to go through. I personally found that I got the most out of it in bite sized sessions rather than all in one go.

There are poyums in here that will resonate with readers of all shapes and backgrounds. Her strongest peices are based on her own experiences with abuse, misogyny, mental health struggles, and heart break. As a survivor of abuse, sexual assault and mental illness there was a lot in here which resontard with me. A lot of the times depictions of mental health issues and sexual violence can feel put on and inauthentic. That is not the case with poyums. You can tell that she has gone through a lot and that she is not putting it on. She has managed to concentrate complicated and distressing emotions into concise and easily understood lines and stanzas.

Len's performance of each poyum is powerful. A lot of the poyums within poyums have been published on her TikTok and Instagram accounts. I was worried that the audible version might feel the same as the TikTok ones. I was relieved that the audible versions of her pieces were unique.

It feels like Canongate just got her in a room and told her to just go for it. She does not hold back in the recording booth. You can feel the emotion of every line, stanza and rhyme. It will make you feel a wide range of emotions and it will make you cry.

My only criticism of the audible adaptation is that it would be better if the poyum titles were used rather than chapter numbers in the audible menus. I love that the audible version is split by poyum but it is hard to work out which one is which when trying to replay individual poyums.

Emotional, Powerful and Unapologetically Compelling

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Wonderful book of Scots words that tell the pain and the struggle and the strength of the author with stay with you long after. Highly recommend

Pure Gallus verses from an extremely talented wee poet.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews