16 June 2015 "First Tattoo"

When I got my first tattoo,

I was nervous

though not as I had expected.

Having shifted back and forth between

words for weeks,

I surprised myself by choosing a font

in minutes.

After entertaining the tickle of

the pre-needle stencil,

I was unsure at the stillness of my hands

when the first needle poked.

I had been afraid of the discomfort,

though I knew I could handle the pain.

Afraid of what I’d started

still trying to digest the idea of

permanence.

it was strange though,

in the moment it happened

it barely felt real.

A year passed and I found few people

asked what it said

fewer wanted to hear its story

Today I tell them the simple words:

it’s my favorite poem

wonder if I’ll start saying was.

Easy to hide, I tell the timid ones

it is addicting I explain to the fellow

ink-afflicted

It didn’t feel like forever at the time

I forget to put sunscreen on it

and it still doesn’t

I doubt it ever will

I’ll take another taste soon

but I don’t think I’ll ever

really know what it means.