Veterans · Military Families · All who have suffered trauma

A world of words that heals

FLOW is a safe, open community where poems, stories, letters and lyrics help people process trauma, share their truth, and feel less alone — in honour of our late patron, Dame Vera Lynn.

Scottish Charitable Organisation · SC050666 · Don't worry about spelling — just write

20%

of people exposed to mass violence develop PTSD

8M+

adults diagnosed with PTSD in a given year

more likely — women are disproportionately affected by PTSD

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WE REMEMBER.

We Remember. We remember them now gone. Those lives of our farther, sons, mothers, daughters. Sacrifices given in blood, upon a foreign place and murky field. Many have left upon great ships. Returned but a few to tread the streets of dear Blighty once more. Of home....

WHERE MEMORIES SLEEP

In Flanders fields where memories sleep In Flanders fieds where the war has reaped In Flanders fields where war was held In Flanders fields where the troops loudly yelled. When the dogs barked, sniffing out the bombs A ton of troops had already gone you can hear the...

KILLER’S HAND

I’ve tried so hard to understand The thoughts behind a killer’s hand How a young boy filled with hate Can murder, maim - not hesitate To kill his classmates, teacher, friends With no remorse for how it ends And we, society, have no shame By saying that we’re not to...

The​ ​Day

Eleven,Eleven,Eleven The​ ​Day​ ​tolled​ ​out, Unheard​ ​by​ ​those​ ​who Toiled​ ​wearily​ ​on​ ​Young​ ​and​ ​Old....

Remembrance anthology

Humbled to have my poem 'Entrenched am I..' included in the Remembrance Anthology - Worcester Poet Laureate - on this Remembrance Sunday; Please copy and paste this link to see many more worthy poems of remembrance; Scroll down to see my poem....

WINTER CALLS

A chilling wind and threatening sky Both make the daylight hours fly Swirling leaves that dance and play Upon the grass this Autumn day A nippy day for gloves and hat Just say “Hello” don’t stop to chat Then throw your ball and let your dog Enjoy his play before the...

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Eventide

Settling back at the end of the day At the hush of eventide A stillness o’er the scene before you As though the whole world is pacified All the boats have come to moorings At the end of a busy day From a pastime that gives much pleasure All the sailors well satisfied...

I’ve Welcomed War

Broken battered trenches, and lines of wounded sat on benches, men spluttering and choking as a deadly warning, will we live to see the morning? The air is thick with ghastly stenches, I’ve welcomed war. The gas just loves to hiss and groan, while we’re spluttering...

NO MAN’S LAND

Swans nest where Willows rest As soldiers lay their batons down Weary from the noise and smoke Collapse in heaps upon the ground Sorrow etched on faces black Hell has landed in their brains Peace is lost for soldier Jack He will never be the same Seeing sights, no man...

BRAVE, BRAVE, BOMBER

How easy To leave a bomb on a train How proud You will feel to kill and to maim How brave To leave your mayhem behind Such pleasure To read of the dead , injured, blind Praise Allah You murdered some Kaffir today Men, women, children who got in the way I’ll pray to...

CARLISLE CATHEDRAL

A former officer and former soldier come every Friday to read names from the Book of Remembrance. ‘In honour of fallen comrades- Father, daughter, husband, son Remembered in perpetuum..’ While settling in your chosen seat your own devotions you would keep. As the...

MOBILE TELEPHONE BLUES

MOBILE TELEPHONE BLUES In cafes, restaurants and bars On buses, lorries, backs of cars It seems that people can’t leave home Without their personal telephone They’re walking down a busy street Oblivious to all they meet Chins tucked down against their chest As if...

Felix

“I would like to introduce you to my son Felix” translated Sergio, my travel companion and interpreter from the local dialect to English. He was speaking on behalf of the youngish looking father who had just introduced himself as George. Standing in a remote village...

Do not iron on print

SALE!!! SALE!!! 75% OFF!! The large red signs cover the store. Everywhere I turn, I see red. I look down and stare at my hands. I still see red. I sit, while clothes, shoes and jewellery enclose me. In this obstacle of vanity, I observe people of all ranges. I see a...

Cry for freedom

The Holocaust Adara clutched her little brother Mica as she limped and stumbled on a jagged rock that tore a hole in her two sizes too small worthless shoe. She cried out in pain but couldn’t stop now. She’d come too far! Thoughts about her hometown were running...

Post-War love

George looked out through the window of the dining room at the rain that poured relentlessly. He sat with his arms rested on the table next to the carefully laid out cutlery. Every other minute Georges twitch knocked the cutlery together making a clanging sound....

Memoriam

I ran. I just kept running forward…through the water and then up the beach. The water was freezing. It was almost up to my chest at first. It held me back. I had a rifle in my hands and had to hold it over my head. I couldn’t use my hands to steady myself or anything....

Twin soliloquy

‘I hate flies, I hate heat, I hate the desert, in fact I hate bloody everything connected to the place.’ Simon stared around him; the detritus of human life, the sweat, blood, tears, the indelible mark of ‘mans inhumanity to man’ Who the hell did he think he was;...

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"Through my own experiences in talking with the boys and girls about their thoughts on war and how they felt about going into action… through poetry they express themselves with absolute clarity, deep feeling and simplicity. I only have to read 'In Flanders Field' or Kipling's 'Tommy' to fully appreciate and be thankful for the beauty of FLOW. We must never forget them."

Dame Vera Lynn DBE — Our late patron, 1917–2020

Dame Vera Lynn, patron of FLOW for All