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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⛅️ For Mothers Upstairs ⛅️

To all of the mothers upstairs in the clouds, Your daughters and sons shout “Hi’ really loud. We know you’re not here since that day you passed, but the love in our hearts will forever last. Some still buy cards and flowers today, and place them by pictures and smile...

“If not me or you, then who”

As I sit and drink my coffee today, I hear many things that passersby say. They’re often unhappy and talking of those, who cause so much pain at work as they go. I hear of people, quite senior as well, who make people’s lives a living hell. Bullies, liars, and those...

“I’m not fine”

These lyrics are from the song "I'm not fine", by Telford Sounds, which can be listened to on YouTube by clicking this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Q5tu491Jo  [Verse 1] He said, "Long week" But it’d been a long year Holding it together With a grin and a beer...

The Moccasin Approach

Leaders, managers, teams, and colleagues, don’t become those silent bodies. Don’t see things from just your lens, see others’ perspectives, more like friends. Walk two moons in their shoes first, See their world and feel their thirst. What makes them tick and what...

The Scots Brazilian

(For My Friend Tim) “Friend” is a word that we use every day. We talk of a friend and have plenty to say. Well, this is my rhyme for this friend of mine. And no better friend will you ever find. When I think of Tim and my memories dear, it often involves the hill and...

My Turn to Fight

This poem was written by Dawn Turner about the loss of her son. Dawn kindly gave me her permission to share it on FLOW. ------- My world stopped on 22 August. The date is etched into my skin like a burn. Six weeks have passed — or perhaps it’s still that single,...

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“I’m not fine”

These lyrics are from the song "I'm not fine", by Telford Sounds, which can be listened to on YouTube by clicking this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Q5tu491Jo  [Verse 1] He said, "Long week" But it’d been a long year Holding it together With a grin and a beer...

“Echoes in My Mind”

I’m standing in your silence, but it’s loud inside my head. My memories consume me; they follow where I tread. Every step I take, there’s a ghost I cannot see from wars I left so long ago that still aren't done with me. I’m trying to escape from the demons I can't...

My Room Full of Demons

Oh yeah, come on in, but mind how you go. It’s dark in this room, and there's hazards you know. There’s boxes and boulders and bodies as well. And watch for that trapdoor; it leads straight to hell. So what do you want? You’ll need to go soon. You won't want to stay...

You – Me – Split

In all of the acts that my mind has created The one that hurts most is the hider, the faded. The one that won't tell you the pain that I’m in. The one that is buried so deep in my sin. I’m dying in here my thinking’s all twisted. My names are so many but none of...

⛅️ For Mothers Upstairs ⛅️

To all of the mothers upstairs in the clouds, Your daughters and sons shout “Hi’ really loud. We know you’re not here since that day you passed, but the love in our hearts will forever last. Some still buy cards and flowers today, and place them by pictures and smile...

“If not me or you, then who”

As I sit and drink my coffee today, I hear many things that passersby say. They’re often unhappy and talking of those, who cause so much pain at work as they go. I hear of people, quite senior as well, who make people’s lives a living hell. Bullies, liars, and those...

The Moccasin Approach

Leaders, managers, teams, and colleagues, don’t become those silent bodies. Don’t see things from just your lens, see others’ perspectives, more like friends. Walk two moons in their shoes first, See their world and feel their thirst. What makes them tick and what...

The Scots Brazilian

(For My Friend Tim) “Friend” is a word that we use every day. We talk of a friend and have plenty to say. Well, this is my rhyme for this friend of mine. And no better friend will you ever find. When I think of Tim and my memories dear, it often involves the hill and...

My Turn to Fight

This poem was written by Dawn Turner about the loss of her son. Dawn kindly gave me her permission to share it on FLOW. ------- My world stopped on 22 August. The date is etched into my skin like a burn. Six weeks have passed — or perhaps it’s still that single,...

Our High-Performing Team

Aligned and united, we work in our teams. And all of us work on the company’s dreams. Success and reward are just over there. We’ll get there with effort, compassion, and care. Into our values we dive and we swim. Together, united, our dream is to win. If anyone...

MUD

Mud. Mud and rain. Mud, rain and noise. This is my whole life now, along with the stench. I’ve lost count of how long I’ve been here now. Occasionally there’s a bit of activity between us and the Hun. Otherwise there’s little change. We all stink, we’ve been in our...

LUCKY’S LANDING

The slap of running feet was muffled by the dawn mist that was settling over the airfield. Airmen ground crew and officers alike ran towards the stricken Hurricane that had landed short of the dispersal area later than the rest of B wing flight. The sound of barking...

BATTLE

His voice cut the air like a sharp knife in the stuffy classroom that warm summer day in 1948. ‘Who can name me a famous battle?’ An arm shot up in the second row desk, the boy waving his hand for added effect. ‘Yes boy, what’s your name?’ commanded the teacher with...

THE VIRGIN PILOT

The first light of dawn had barely lit the sky over the airfield on that August morning when the orders to scramble broke the reveries, personal dreams and crafty cigarettes of the pilots stationed at the RAF base. 1940 had been a crucial year for the Royal Air Force...

DAWN

The airman stood at the edge of the airfield watching the dawn light slowly reveal the huge grass area that was the runway. He shivered suddenly as the cool air got through both his tunic and the overall that he wore and reminded him of the early hour. Behind him...

After all – ‘luck is what you make it’.

Sarah’s fingers crept slowly through the clover scented meadow grass; parting it gently she repeated the count in her head, ‘One, two, three – one, two, three - one, two, three’. In the half an hour of painstaking searching, she had never reached the magic four....

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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