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Tony Bowkis Poem
Opening your mind can be enlightening
But writing words down can be frightening
Unless spoken, meaning can go in the wrong direction
Written words sometimes miss the important inflection
What we have in life we shouldn’t take for granted
We need to keep it real with our feet firmly planted
However, it’s hard sometimes to keep it real
When you can’t explain or express how you really feel
I don’t fear much but do have a bit of a fear
A time will come when you are not here
You’re part of my life that I don’t wish to end
So that time will be hard to comprehend
Often feels like an awesome roller coaster ride
I need to go now as the words have dried
Never know if I should write what’s on my mind
I just hope the reception to this is not too unkind
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
Jack 177 26 Jun 2025
A room in my head called emotion
Controlled by various means
A thermometer reacting to the room temperature of others
The cold shoulder of silent indifference
Could turn the blood in my veins, to frozen streams
Other times, blood starts to boil with internal rage
The mercury of overreaction, starts to rise
The volatile instability, damages perception
I work hard on a solution for my personal climate control
I do, have a choice
Reactive thermometer or self-regulating thermostat
Someone else’s winter can be my thawing spring
Heated summer anger, can be a pleasant autumn day
That room in my head, needs comfortable stability
Self-awareness becomes the barometer of my emotions
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2025
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Tony Bowkis Poem
Surviving with little money
Life really isn’t funny
Raining even when it’s sunny
Don’t wanna run this rat race
No chance of keeping up pace
Falling on my flat face
But this is my turf
Like nowhere on earth
This is MY place
To defend with my life, so I don’t lose face
The smell of death is stale
Living like the alpha male
Every day is up for sale
Dreading when the phone rings
Know I gotta change things
This is what my brain sings
Seeing other people’s tears
When surrounded by their fears
This is what man hears
Sadness from the knife
Affecting someone’s wife
Causing family strife
Yet another day is done
Lost a daughter or a son
Another victim of the gun
My dream escape was through song
Every day I hope I’m wrong
But I fear my day has gone
Even being told your dope
Doesn’t always help you cope
But I aint giving up the hope
Bad influences to remove
To get back in the groove
Transition is rarely smooth
Find something inside to inspire
To lift the spirit higher
To give and keep the desire
Different life it needs to be
Can I make it, we will see
Change can only come from me
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
I remember when I held my children for the first time
I remember when I spoke at my dad’s funeral ad libbing in a mix of joy and grief
I remember when Saturday was THE most important day of the week
I remember when I first stepped off a plane for a foreign holiday and the air was so different
I remember when I used to sit in the dark and listen to Pink Floyd
I remember when on Blockbusters, contestants used to ask “can I have a P please Bob”
I remember when my mum said off all her 6 children I was the only one she never understood
I remember when tasting Thai food for the first time I described it as an ****** on my tastebuds
I remember when at times even as a kid I could get so angry that I believed I could literally kill
I remember when I went on a 1 day trip to Barcelona to watch football and returned 5 days later
I remember when after paying my bills I had less than £50 a month to live on
I remember when I saw Ricky Villa score THAT goal and Gazza hit THAT free kick at Wembley
I remember when I was thrown in Holly bushes as some form of initiation at Grammar school
I remember when I smashed the school record for 1500 metres
I remember when my players won cup finals when no one except us believed we could
I remember when I graduated at the age of 55 sharing the day only with my classmates
I remember when I invented the scotch egg drink of a double malt with pickled egg
I remember when the first time my head was so scrambled I couldn’t comprehend where I was or what to do
I remember when I’ve spontaneously combusted in work situations
I remember when I’ve sat alone and for no apparent reason emotion totally overpowers me
I remember when I try to forget the darkness but find it impossible
I remember when I’ve written words sometimes and thought that’s not too bad
I cherish the fact that, at the moment, I CAN still remember when
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
Life is a beating heart
New born, beating heart
First day at school, beating heart
First kiss, beating heart
New job, beating heart
Physical activity, beating heart
Adrenalin flowing, beating heart
Love at first sight, beating heart
Pushing yourself, beating heart
Taking risks, beating heart
Being scared, beating heart
A beating heart, this is life
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
You know the difference of right and wrong
You know deep down, in that world you don’t belong
You really need to open your eyes
Coz where you’re heading ain’t no surprise
To the dizzy heights you have risen
Where the outcome is usually death or prison
Let me whisper to you sis and bro
Coz there’s something you should know
If in the firing line and someone’s taking aim
You should know, from where the bullets came
Look around you and start to realise
Some who call you friend are telling lies
Don’t let those influences corrupt
Their voices negative and so abrupt
You can see what you want to see
You can be what you want to be
You’re at a crossroads with a lot to lose
So it’s time to decide which life to choose
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
I once dreamt I was a unicorn
Very few believing I’d even been born
I once dreamt I was a shark
Roaming oceans deep and dark
I once dreamt I was an eagle soaring high
With complete freedom up in the sky
I once dreamt I was a massive crocodile
Consuming anything that entered my part of the Nile
I once dreamt I was cute and cuddly when I was a Koala bear
Sleepy and docile, loved by everyone almost everywhere
I once dreamt I was a dragon breathing fire
Spectacular shows and always available for hire
I once dreamt I was a dolphin, communicating in a different way
But only other dolphins could understand what I was trying to say
I once dreamt I lived high in the mountains when I was a Yak
Solid, dependable, able to carry huge loads on my back
I once dreamt I was a Camel, strange really to think
Wandering about for days with nothing to eat or drink
I once dreamt I was a fish living as part of a massive shoal
Safety in numbers with surviving the day our only goal
I once dreamt I was a bright colourful Hummingbird
Silly, that couldn’t really be me, how absurd
When I awoke, in the mirror I could clearly see
I was none of these, I was simply plain old me
Dreams have meanings many people say
So maybe I’m all of these things in some slight way
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2023
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Tony Bowkis Poem
Growth comes from being wrong
Learn from it and it makes you strong
Engage the art of reflection
It can guide your direction
Peace is what you’ll find
If you can know your own mind
Don’t hide behind the deflections
Embrace your own imperfections
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
There is a difference between
Merely giving TIME
and
Actually SHARING TIME
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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Tony Bowkis Poem
Tasmanian Devil like, is how my brain does behave
But calm and peace are all that I crave
Not seeking material riches, just want internal stillness
Can be tiring intermittently fighting an invisible illness
Hard sometimes when sitting down to reflect
How did this happen, what did I do, what did I neglect
Often wonder if the excessive drinking caused me harm
Whatever the reason, the brain is unable to maintain much sense of calm
Never want to be a burden, causing loved ones sadness or tension
So if I get to a place of having no real comprehension
When the eyes are staring but there’s nothing to see
Be strong with hard decisions, is how I’d like you to be
When the lights go out, forget the darkness if possible please
Just smile on good memories like a warm summer breeze
Copyright © Tony Bowkis | Year Posted 2024
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