Our protagonist Matt is 11 and about to start secondary school. He doesn’t know what his future holds or what to expect as he embarks on this new stage of life.
The poems cover the next five years, as Matt experiences the thorny lows that spike our teenage years: difficulties with his mum, the stress of schoolwork, and a nameless depression that makes his head feel like it is full of snakes. There are also glorious highs, such as discovering drama, playing with his mates, and that thrill of being out in the sun with people who make you feel alive.
There are moments that are delicate and touching, like clouds passing by before they fade away. Other moments are robust and peppered with humor, which are all the more powerful thanks to the chatty, youthful language.
Tomorrow We Begin has as many shades as a child growing into a teenager and then touching the edges of adulthood. It is undercut by a deep and clear-eyed understanding of what it means to be young today. I found this book of poetry more enjoyable than some of the classic poetry I was made to read at school. With this collection, Matt Goodfellow has captured the confusion, discomfort, and sheer joy of growing into oneself.
Review by Laura Marriott
Tomorrow We Begin: Poems to Find Yourself In
Matt Goodfellow
Bloomsbury Education, 2024
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN: 978180199339
