Len Pennie

Len Pennie (born 1999 in Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a performance poet, Scots-language advocate, and mental health campaigner who has emerged as a leading voice in contemporary Scottish literature. She earned a Master’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of St Andrews and began gaining attention during the COVID-19 lockdown by sharing her “Scots word of the day” and original poems (“poyums”) via social media. These daily videos—featuring Scots vocabulary and pronunciation—quickly went viral and amassed over 1.2 million combined followers by early 2024.

Her debut poetry collection, Poyums, published by Canongate Books in early 2024, received widespread acclaim and won the Discover Award at the British Book Awards. It includes her viral piece “I’m no havin children,” written in Scots, and also addresses themes of domestic abuse, as seen in her poignant work “Honey.” Her powerful blend of humor, vulnerability, and language reclamation captures the complexity of modern Scots identity and lived experiences.

Len’s work goes beyond poetry—she is a passionate advocate for linguistic diversity, feminism, and mental health. In 2021 she was named Scots Language Performer of the Year and Poet Laureate of the Saint Andrew’s Society of Los Angeles. That same year, she joined Lidl’s “Daft Days” campaign with an original poem celebrating Scottish tradition. She serves as a columnist for The Herald and has delivered talks and judged literary contests, including BBC Radio Scotland’s youth climate-writing competition.

In early 2023, Len revealed her personal journey through a multi-year abusive relationship—events that deeply inform her candid and courageous poetry. Her advocacy for survivors and for Scots as a living language has made her a distinct and influential figure in Scottish arts and culture.

Now in her mid‑20s, Len Pennie continues to captivate audiences through performance, social media, and the literary stage. Her debut has set a new standard for Scots-language poetry, and fans eagerly await her next collection, expected later in 2025