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Walking Towards the Noise
Poems for those who feel life's complexities
'Let’s cry, and then smile together.
As time’s tides offer up words to shore.
These feet touching sands,
as our minds dance with crumbling
white horses, that crash fury-filled waves
with the deep blue inks of our
untempered selves.'
Praise for Bowie’s poetry
‘Bowie’s poetry is brutal and lyrical, beautifully textured.’
— B F Jones, poet of Five Years
‘Bowie shows extraordinary talent as he changes tone and style.’
— Scott Cumming, poet of The Blue Chapbook
‘A gritty meditation...’
— HLR, poet of History of Present Complaint
'Let’s cry, and then smile together.
As time’s tides offer up words to shore.
These feet touching sands,
as our minds dance with crumbling
white horses, that crash fury-filled waves
with the deep blue inks of our
untempered selves.'
Praise for Bowie’s poetry
‘Bowie’s poetry is brutal and lyrical, beautifully textured.’
— B F Jones, poet of Five Years
‘Bowie shows extraordinary talent as he changes tone and style.’
— Scott Cumming, poet of The Blue Chapbook
‘A gritty meditation...’
— HLR, poet of History of Present Complaint
- GenresPoetry
73 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 22, 2022
27 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
John Bowie
14 books54 followersJohn Bowie was born in Northumberland, Northern England.
He has published poems, novels and short stories. He studied in Salford, Greater Manchester in the 1990s. He lives in Bristol, U.K.
John is the founder and editor-in-chief of Bristol Noir.
He has published poems, novels and short stories. He studied in Salford, Greater Manchester in the 1990s. He lives in Bristol, U.K.
John is the founder and editor-in-chief of Bristol Noir.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 3, 2023
This collection of poetry has it all, heartfelt, shocking, brave, challenging, observant and intelligent wit.
This is a stunning read and had me literally tearing up after the first four poems. It deals with themes of pandemic life and although I didn’t realise how tough that time was, living through it was a trauma to most… I just hadn’t realised how much I’d been affected by it and Bowie peeled back those calloused layers I’d long since forgotten.
I’d had it easy - no one was sick, I didn’t lose anyone, but people did, people got sick and died - and it’s the way Bowie phrases these poems (especially the ones dealing with pandemic life) that really hit home.
I’ve been a fan of Bowie’s fiction for a while and this makes it the second poetry collection I’ve read of his too - do yourselves a favour and pick him up if he’s new to you - his Black Viking Books are a must read (note there are no vikings in these books - just brutal, gritty crime).
This is a stunning read and had me literally tearing up after the first four poems. It deals with themes of pandemic life and although I didn’t realise how tough that time was, living through it was a trauma to most… I just hadn’t realised how much I’d been affected by it and Bowie peeled back those calloused layers I’d long since forgotten.
I’d had it easy - no one was sick, I didn’t lose anyone, but people did, people got sick and died - and it’s the way Bowie phrases these poems (especially the ones dealing with pandemic life) that really hit home.
I’ve been a fan of Bowie’s fiction for a while and this makes it the second poetry collection I’ve read of his too - do yourselves a favour and pick him up if he’s new to you - his Black Viking Books are a must read (note there are no vikings in these books - just brutal, gritty crime).
September 25, 2022
The subtitle for the collection is Poems for those Who Feel Life's Complexities and it is apt for what the collection delivers upon looking back at the past couple of years Covid related activities which seem old hat when faced with the latest crisis this country has limped towards all the while shrugging not believing itself culpable or responsible.
That isn't all this is about as Bowie delves into childhood throughout the collection two looking at those instances from youth that stick to you and make you question full grown decision making and reactions.
There are everyman types of poems and poems about specific feelings and instances from the author's life and coalesces into an enlightening collection that I am sure I will look to digest again in short order.
That isn't all this is about as Bowie delves into childhood throughout the collection two looking at those instances from youth that stick to you and make you question full grown decision making and reactions.
There are everyman types of poems and poems about specific feelings and instances from the author's life and coalesces into an enlightening collection that I am sure I will look to digest again in short order.
February 16, 2024
A few of my favourites
Back
Cycle of being
Graveyard of content
Masks and faces
The line is dead
The structure of this anthology was really interesting being split into three distinct sections
Mask on
Mask off
Mask on again
A reflection of the pandemic and well now I guess post pandemic world we live in. At points a sad reflection of how life is but nevertheless a mirror to society
Back
Cycle of being
Graveyard of content
Masks and faces
The line is dead
The structure of this anthology was really interesting being split into three distinct sections
Mask on
Mask off
Mask on again
A reflection of the pandemic and well now I guess post pandemic world we live in. At points a sad reflection of how life is but nevertheless a mirror to society
October 18, 2022
Clocking in at ~82 pages, Walking Towards The Noise is a generous new volume of poetry from Bristol Noir’s founder and EIC, John Bowie. Comprised of poems penned during the Covid-19 pandemic, this collection is split into three sections: MASK ON, MASK OFF, and MASK ON (AGAIN).
I think I enjoyed the first section the most, as we hear the speaker ruminate on fragments of childhood memories and observations of the natural world. I particularly loved Bowie’s use of floral imagery (of bluebells and daffodils, reminding of us the presence of beauty in the face of so much devastation) and the feeling of the seasons passing, unstoppable, while we were all stuck indoors during lockdowns.
Bowie’s frequent use of short lines (sometimes only a few syllables long) instilled in me a meditative effect – so much opportunity to pause, to breathe and reflect, almost reminiscent of haiku but obviously extended and expanded — and I was immediately brought back to that time of the pandemic when the whole world seemed to be stuck on pause. Bowie writes much about the cyclical — the inevitable cycle of the seasons, of life and death, the cyclical nature of ‘battling invisible monsters.’ But there are also reflections on ‘the barbs and razor-sharp steel of reality laid bare’, as we were all forced to sit with ourselves (often isolated and lonely and frightened) during the pandemic.
That feeling of loss and isolation is palpable throughout this collection. And there’s a pervading sense of looking out, while simultaneously looking inward: the poem ‘graveyard of content’ is particularly harrowing, a portrait of residents on a street, capturing the time when we were all watching the quietened world from behind our windows, shielding ourselves from disease yet unable to escape the rising death toll on the news and the horrific dispatches from frontline workers on social media. The speaker poses questions of ‘who’s behind the mask?’ and ‘what will be left when the masks come off?’ and the reader is forced to consider what could’ve been — all the lost potential of those isolated weeks, months, years; all those lives tragically lost; and all the ruin that remains on a local, personal, and global scale. There’s also an underlying theme, I felt, of ‘carrying on’ — a sombre acknowledgement of those who couldn’t carry on, and those of us left behind who must.
I think I enjoyed the first section the most, as we hear the speaker ruminate on fragments of childhood memories and observations of the natural world. I particularly loved Bowie’s use of floral imagery (of bluebells and daffodils, reminding of us the presence of beauty in the face of so much devastation) and the feeling of the seasons passing, unstoppable, while we were all stuck indoors during lockdowns.
Bowie’s frequent use of short lines (sometimes only a few syllables long) instilled in me a meditative effect – so much opportunity to pause, to breathe and reflect, almost reminiscent of haiku but obviously extended and expanded — and I was immediately brought back to that time of the pandemic when the whole world seemed to be stuck on pause. Bowie writes much about the cyclical — the inevitable cycle of the seasons, of life and death, the cyclical nature of ‘battling invisible monsters.’ But there are also reflections on ‘the barbs and razor-sharp steel of reality laid bare’, as we were all forced to sit with ourselves (often isolated and lonely and frightened) during the pandemic.
That feeling of loss and isolation is palpable throughout this collection. And there’s a pervading sense of looking out, while simultaneously looking inward: the poem ‘graveyard of content’ is particularly harrowing, a portrait of residents on a street, capturing the time when we were all watching the quietened world from behind our windows, shielding ourselves from disease yet unable to escape the rising death toll on the news and the horrific dispatches from frontline workers on social media. The speaker poses questions of ‘who’s behind the mask?’ and ‘what will be left when the masks come off?’ and the reader is forced to consider what could’ve been — all the lost potential of those isolated weeks, months, years; all those lives tragically lost; and all the ruin that remains on a local, personal, and global scale. There’s also an underlying theme, I felt, of ‘carrying on’ — a sombre acknowledgement of those who couldn’t carry on, and those of us left behind who must.
February 7, 2023
I’ve only really started reading poetry recently, since my son started writing and publishing his own work and I really just follow his recommendations and that’s what led me to this collection by John Bowie. I will admit that I don’t know what all the pieces relate too and some of the denser poems I will probably have to revisit. However there are poems of love, of personal experiences, reminiscences of childhood and youth and also Covid related verses in this volume. My biggest problem is tuning into the beat or the mitre of the poems but once I get attuned to that I find that my enjoyment grows.
Overall an enjoyable collection of work that I’ll definitely return too, to get a better grip on the more impenetrable pieces and also to reread the ones that gave me greatest pleasure.
Overall an enjoyable collection of work that I’ll definitely return too, to get a better grip on the more impenetrable pieces and also to reread the ones that gave me greatest pleasure.
October 4, 2022
This is my first full delve into Bowie’s poetry and I wasn’t disappointed. I’m no stranger to Bowie’s fiction so enjoyed to see that blend of dark beauty in his poetical writing explored further. Walking Towards The Noise resonates greatly with my own assessment of the last couple years and the inevitable fallout from Covid. The personal accounts Bowie shares also gift a glimmer into the mind of this fantastic writer. I was rocked with emotion with how relatable Tooth Fairy was and look forward to sharing this with those closest to me. Highly recommend!
August 29, 2023
I'm a big fan of John Bowie's Black Viking novels, but this was my first adventure into his poetry and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's a grittiness and underlying melancholy to much of these works - very much like Bowie's noir novels - and the reading experience as a whole leaves a profound impression. There's a clear Covid influence, but you don't necessarily have to read these poems through a Covid lens - there's a timeless quality to this collection that I think will make it worth revisiting. Blunt and down-to-earth, yet lyrical and moving, this is a collection to savour.
May 29, 2024
"he bounces off the walls, frantic— buzzing about like a damn blue bottle. boils a kettle, as if wrestling a tiger. and, answers the phone, battling the cable like it’s a snake. the world is against him in every way and everything in it’s a curse. inanimate objects are his enemies, whilst real enemies turn into ferocious demons."
This poetry collection is really ambitious, and I enjoyed reading it! I hope to get my hands on more content from this author.
This poetry collection is really ambitious, and I enjoyed reading it! I hope to get my hands on more content from this author.
January 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reading poetry always feels like stepping into someone else’s world, and I admire John Bowie for opening that door with this collection. While a couple of poems really stood out to me, I didn’t fully connect with the collection as a whole. That said, I can appreciate the themes Bowie explores, and I think this is still a beautiful & important piece of art.
Reading poetry always feels like stepping into someone else’s world, and I admire John Bowie for opening that door with this collection. While a couple of poems really stood out to me, I didn’t fully connect with the collection as a whole. That said, I can appreciate the themes Bowie explores, and I think this is still a beautiful & important piece of art.
February 4, 2025
Relatable and great metaphors
I really enjoyed this poet's worl; at first I didn't quite connect but JB's words on death and loneliness are very close to home as I have a tendency to overrhink about my own mortality.
I'd say "Mask off" was the section that really gripped me.
I really enjoyed this poet's worl; at first I didn't quite connect but JB's words on death and loneliness are very close to home as I have a tendency to overrhink about my own mortality.
I'd say "Mask off" was the section that really gripped me.
March 19, 2025
Some really powerful, thought-provoking poems. I’ve never heard of John Bowie before but will definitely check out more of his works. Lookout for my highlights I’ll be sharing from this.
Thank you Mr. Bowie for sharing your art.
Thank you Mr. Bowie for sharing your art.
July 2, 2023
A Little all over the place
January 14, 2024
A nice read
January 24, 2025
I hate to give such a low rating but I got absolutely nothing out of this. That being said, I do think the poet has skill, just not for my personal tastes.
August 7, 2025
A little book of poetry. Some of these I enjoyed some I’m just like what the heck are you saying!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews