Overview

SHORTLISTED FOR FORWARD PRIZE BEST FIRST COLLECTION 2025 WINNER OF THE LIST'S BEST RISING SCOTTISH AUTHOR AWARD 2025 NOMINATED FOR SCOTS LANGUAGE AWARD'S SCOTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR THE JOHN POLLARD FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL POETRY PRIZE 2026 'Goonie is a boisterously brilliant collection that sings like the mother of all songbirds' Michael Pedersen, author of The Cat Prince 'An absolute beauty of a book by an absolute beauty of a writer. Goonie is an essential tribute to life and fight and love and language' Hollie McNish, author of Lobster 'I've enjoyed Michael Mullen's poems since the moment I first encountered them. He is brave and funny, Glasgow-gallus and compassionate . . . Goonie announces a real new talent' Kathleen Jamie, author and former Scottish Makar 'This is gorgeous, maximalist poetry, playful and glittering but rooted in anger and honesty, a sensual Technicolor shot of Scots joy. I will be raving about this for years' Kirstin Innes, author of Scabby Queen 'These poems are tender weapons that will smash through any apathy that still remains towards the Scots language, they are pulsing with humour and wit but the reverence that Mullen gives to every day moments, characters and life make me realise there is always more to learn, more to see, deeper to go. I have no doubt Goonie is a new Scottish classic' Leyla Josephine, Forward Prize-winning poet Goonie is the raw and joyful debut collection from award-winning Scottish poet and spoken word artist Michael Mullen. Whether exploring queerness through fierce lyrical poetry or celebrating Mullen's beloved Scotland through vernacular vignettes, Goonie's main preoccupation is with how we form community around us and how community, in turn, forms us. Many of the themes are encapsulated by the title poem as the narrator readies themself to take the stage and perform for their older relatives wearing an old goonie (a nightdress): 'Ma aunt raising her vodka Iron-Bru, a tumblr ae noxious flame, a toast / tae me, n ma frilly jig. Awk A jist lettum wear witever he wahnts tae wear.' In Goonie, the oral tradition of Scots combines with whip-sharp Glaswegian humour to bring alive in language and form the full spectrum of human connection: working class friends gathering round a fire, a living room ceilidh, an chat in the hairdresser's chair, a queer awakening. These poems show the power of acceptance, togetherness and creative expression. All aspects of Mullen's life as a performer, a poet, a queer son, a Scot, a working-class boy, come together o

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9781472158819

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Reviews

Goonie is a boisterously brilliant collection that sings like the mother of all songbirds - stirring, salient, sword-sharp and sensational -- Michael Pedersen, author of The Cat Prince I've enjoyed Michael Mullen's poems since the moment I first encountered them. He is brave and funny, Glasgow-gallus and compassionate; he hears the said and the unsaid and the deeply felt. Goonie announces a real new talent -- Kathleen Jamie, author and former Scottish Makar It's fitting that Goonie ends with a tribute to Edwin Morgan as this glorious debut cements Michael Mullen's place as his spiritual successor. This is gorgeous, maximalist poetry, playful and glittering but rooted in anger and honesty, a sensual Technicolor shot of Scots joy. I will be raving about this for years -- Kirstin Innes, author of Scabby Queen A gorgeous, witty, mesmerising kaleidoscope of a book. These poems burst with linguistic energy and human understanding and sheer gladsomeness. A sharp-eyed, affinity-minded, big-hearted collection, as alive and contemporary as this very moment. With his adventurous, electrifying, risk-taking debut, Michael Mullen automatically and impressively establishes himself as Edwin Morgan's natural successor -- Kevin MacNeil

Author Information

Michael Mullen is a queer poet, writer and spoken word artist from Glasgow. Writing in both Scots and Standard English, Mullen's primary concern is Scotland - its languages and its people. Years of work in hospitality and later as a support worker has put ordinary people at the forefront of their poetry. Whether on the stage or the page, Mullen's love of character and language champions identity whilst dissecting it. He was the co-winner of the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award 2023-4 as well as the Scottish National Slam runner up in 2022. He appeared on Life and Rhymes with Benjamin Zephaniah on Sky Arts and his work has been published in various places including Neu! Reekie! #NeuVoices, Bella Caledonia, Paisley Mill Magazine, Rymour Books, Glasgow City of Poets and Seahorse Publications. Goonie is their first collection.

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