Head Cross by Needles

There's a guy I've seen around for the past couple of years who I've been dying to ask about his tattoo.<br /><br />I finally inquired last week and he agreed to share the tattoo, but wished to remain anonymous:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHpn54JU83Jl9wFic5YbwggOqdW-pPiwEHSytcYmL9TXue85iRKgqNgzMtVaEFV0-AGv1f7Uj-wd_ZwUPYTlFl7otgvZnh7CThGY9NQu35jvS8Ee3ITF7K96SP0lQgoqMRk61JCIr_sc/w559-h659-no/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHpn54JU83Jl9wFic5YbwggOqdW-pPiwEHSytcYmL9TXue85iRKgqNgzMtVaEFV0-AGv1f7Uj-wd_ZwUPYTlFl7otgvZnh7CThGY9NQu35jvS8Ee3ITF7K96SP0lQgoqMRk61JCIr_sc/w559-h659-no/IMG_0984.JPG" width="542" /></a></div><br />He credited this Celtic cross to <a href="http://www.monkeymojo.com/needles/">Needles</a> at <a href="http://eastsideinktattoo.com/">East Side Ink</a>, in New York City.<br /><br />We'll have something else later in the week by Needles, as well.<br /><br />Thanks to the gentleman above for sharing his head tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.</span></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-388b3fbd-e23e-a022-1df0-1270448606ce"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></div>

Head Cross by Needles

There's a guy I've seen around for the past couple of years who I've been dying to ask about his tattoo. I finally inquired last...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Andrea England

Our next tattooed poet is Andrea England, who submitted this photo of her tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3z-8L-GPuSp7yzZsJPYrS_9AtgGWaVIKKXiHJKr2tSZM0qg19DCDki9vfy7lkyOz1EaZmElPF4B6QnHgM3rXG0lFMOE4CDa9bZKA1gVnL36QwzAWN8mc3jz6YOWqWx6EgoKP1VHmxYM/s1600/andrea+england.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3z-8L-GPuSp7yzZsJPYrS_9AtgGWaVIKKXiHJKr2tSZM0qg19DCDki9vfy7lkyOz1EaZmElPF4B6QnHgM3rXG0lFMOE4CDa9bZKA1gVnL36QwzAWN8mc3jz6YOWqWx6EgoKP1VHmxYM/s400/andrea+england.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Andrea explains:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"In 2001, I was able to take a trip to Ireland, the place of my mother’s ancestry, a place that she regretted never having visited. When I returned from Ireland I decided to tattoo her maiden initials on my arm in the original Celtic font used in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells">The Book of Kells</a>; CFM stands for Catherine Fallon McGinnis. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSic7mPrUD1Qy-gYfBy880osEAERDqjqFMmbGueUWsA_tzPm-q3q1XP2XlCZMUyQEzrTJWkdojAiVSbEIW-_k7fKUB_fHv923Bc3HBZD3T5mOfmxf1tDTIKWiEcecY3FozrpOAkfEfVc/s1600/celtic+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSic7mPrUD1Qy-gYfBy880osEAERDqjqFMmbGueUWsA_tzPm-q3q1XP2XlCZMUyQEzrTJWkdojAiVSbEIW-_k7fKUB_fHv923Bc3HBZD3T5mOfmxf1tDTIKWiEcecY3FozrpOAkfEfVc/s320/celtic+detail.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><a href="http://chameleonbodyarts.com/home.html">Chameleon</a> in Harvard Square was my choice shop. The funny part is I had a difficult time convincing the artist to work on the inside of my arm. He kept asking me, 'Are you sure you want it there? You aren’t going to be able to hide it. Are you sure you don’t want a smaller font?' After some heckling, he gave me what I wanted. I take pride that she is there, and can’t hide from me or the world."</blockquote>Here is one of Andrea's poems:<br /><br /><b>Discourse of Bric-a-brac</b><br /><br />Insomnia in a twin bed,<br />the screech of brakes before<br />inevitable. Like the stray dog<br />gigolo, tags intact, jangling,<br />neighbors clamoring over each.<br />Who locked whom out. Get out.<br />Last time. The woo before sex, the sex,<br />the prayer you will drift asleep first<br />and the skateboard wheel as it fills each rut<br />in the walk just before the little boy falls.<br /><br />Oklahoma City, the morning after<br />snow when you’ve only thin sandals.<br />That cold burning you thought you could<br />control by sleeping in separate beds,<br />stingray on the beach, insides pecked out,<br />still breathing and that sad miracle.<br />It’s disregarding the phone at 4am,<br />the trill of it or the painter in the dream<br />when he whispers, <i>You can open your mouth</i><br /><i>if you want to.</i> This indecision.<br /><br />Because your roommate would kill the spiders<br />behind the blinds, because the dishes in the sink<br />are desire and desire clutter.<br />Because in the sixth grade you wore<br />deodorant but no scent, underwear in the shower,<br />and watched the cool kids kiss formulas<br />out of each other after school. It’s because<br />by Darwin’s calculations we’re still here<br />surviving, fit to love best uneven,<br />even when there’s no love left.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Andrea England is a student, a mother, poet, and teacher, who resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her work has appeared, or is forthcoming in, <a href="http://passagesnorth.com/">Passages North</a>, <a href="http://www.cutthroatmag.com/">Cutthroat Magazine</a>, <a href="http://www.dmqreview.com/">The DMQ Review</a>, <a href="http://rhinopoetry.org/">RHINO</a>, and others. Dogs and cold, snowy winters are also worth mentioning as objects of her affection.<br /><br />Thanks to Andrea for sharing her work with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.18809133558534086"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit </span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Andrea England

Our next tattooed poet is Andrea England, who submitted this photo of her tattoo: Andrea explains: "In 2001, I was able to take a trip ...

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Vincent's Cross Represents Faith and Heritage

Religious tattoos are quite common, as any casual observer of other people's tattoos can tell you. Generally, I don't ask people about them, but every so often I feel inclined, especially when I think they're done nicely.<br /><br />Take Vincent, for example. I met him in Penn Station and took a picture of this cross on his forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1Amm5F8eKKC5MQbSjUc2IPSC-TgyACYmmQnQ7JfsvN-EtAAaPo9399YJfmXt-fubNg3hxdpzEPiBOn-4p8TPX5y7UcC0rEr-Vn8PiDfQCmFGKcjlLMfjK8ag7Ra4huLbSQihouLAczY/s1600/Vincent+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1Amm5F8eKKC5MQbSjUc2IPSC-TgyACYmmQnQ7JfsvN-EtAAaPo9399YJfmXt-fubNg3hxdpzEPiBOn-4p8TPX5y7UcC0rEr-Vn8PiDfQCmFGKcjlLMfjK8ag7Ra4huLbSQihouLAczY/s640/Vincent+cross.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><br />Vincent explained that he drew this design, incorporating Celtic designs, as an acknowledgement of his faith (represented by the cross and the circle, symbolizing the Trinity) and his heritage. His father's ancestry is Welsh, and his mother's family is Italian.<br /><br /><br /><br />The tattoo was done by at <a href="http://www.sacred-x-pressions.com/">Sacred-X-Pressions</a> in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He doesn't recall the tattooist's name, but does know he has moved on from that shop.<br /><br /><br />Thanks to Vincent for sharing his expression of faith and heritage with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span>

Vincent's Cross Represents Faith and Heritage

Religious tattoos are quite common, as any casual observer of other people's tattoos can tell you. Generally, I don't ask people abo...

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NYC Tattoo Convention Spotlight: Steve's Phenomenal Celtic Cross

Among the many amazing tattoos I saw last Saturday, this cross belonging to Steve was among my favorites:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0ZWoi7YJPsbq0NH0j61bns6ZNnK3L9S2sEIC5nEXOTDsfVkGapgYClzVVZs3u7sFSckfgGuIgAbLbT2qT06k2IAnZhkyW1gKQFzFa2puc2tGgZmfZgIk-hpnAc-qzxEIjhpv-alG2gM/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0ZWoi7YJPsbq0NH0j61bns6ZNnK3L9S2sEIC5nEXOTDsfVkGapgYClzVVZs3u7sFSckfgGuIgAbLbT2qT06k2IAnZhkyW1gKQFzFa2puc2tGgZmfZgIk-hpnAc-qzxEIjhpv-alG2gM/s640/cross.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br /><br />There's really not much to it, other than amazing colors and craftsmanship.<br /><br />Steve explained that the design is a nod to his Irish heritage, inspired by the Book of Kells, as exemplified by the Celtic knot in the center of the piece. He estimated that the half-sleeve, which circles the whole arm, represents about 30 hours of work.<br /><br />He praised the work of Agent at <a href="http://www.screaminink.com/">Screamin' Ink Tattoos</a> in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. For those familiar with our annual NYC Tattoo Convention recaps, Screamin' Ink was the shop that featured my favorite tattoo from last year (revisit it <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/dispatch-from-nyc-tattoo-convention.html">here</a>).<br /><br />Thanks to Steve for sharing his work with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

NYC Tattoo Convention Spotlight: Steve's Phenomenal Celtic Cross

Among the many amazing tattoos I saw last Saturday, this cross belonging to Steve was among my favorites: There's really not much to it,...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Martha Serpas

<div class="MsoNormal">On this, our fourth day of the third annual Tattooed Poets Project, we are honored to have work from <a href="http://www.marthaserpas.com/">Martha Serpas</a>.<br /><br />Readers may wonder where we find all these tattooed poets. Most come our way by word of mouth, but a small handful, like in Martha's case, agree to participate after we send out e-mail inquiries, without even knowing if a poet is inked or not. Most poets don't even respond, a handful do, but are not tattooed, and once in a blue moon, we find a tattooed poet who is happy to participate.<br /><br />Anyway, here's one of Martha's tattoos:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw9BrbsJH03rs3Nt8AwdcT5sFL08JHLVxAhmVCYUZp4fpPszLnqeEiHPRxyVQxI5T2zJd0imOGEisSpvy5p500wYWZUiP43JOuwoZKFNYi5qYnriq1eAdEb-oNsCetpHyD8vH5FFv0HY/s1600/serpas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw9BrbsJH03rs3Nt8AwdcT5sFL08JHLVxAhmVCYUZp4fpPszLnqeEiHPRxyVQxI5T2zJd0imOGEisSpvy5p500wYWZUiP43JOuwoZKFNYi5qYnriq1eAdEb-oNsCetpHyD8vH5FFv0HY/s640/serpas.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Martha explains:</div><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This tattoo is a montage over 20 or so years in the making. First work, Willie [at Willie's Island Tattoos] on Staten Island; <a href="http://www.manta.com/c/mm87f6p/daniel-williams">Dan [Williams</a> at the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/bpttattoo">Bridgeport Tattoo Shop]</a> in Bridgeport, CT; <a href="http://www.tattoobydesign.com/bonniejean.htm">Bonnie Jean</a> in Yachats, OR at [<a href="http://www.tattoobydesign.com/">Tattoo by Design</a>]; and a guy in Houston I never should have let reline it. Bonnie Jean <strike>was</strike> is old school and taught me that tattooing is like coloring in a book: anybody can do it if the lines are really thick. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The tattoo’s a chronicle of a tumultuous time in my life. The wind/water symbol (my design) traversing the image was first. It felt like a spiritual emblem. The bird represents a goal of peace (brought it in from somewhere). The moliere/Celtic cross  (graphic artist friend, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/cjanuska">Carla Januska</a> designed) is modeled after the one on the chapel at my divinity school and doubles as a setting sun. It is my graduation ring, of sorts. The feathery flame shapes (Bonnie Jean’s freehand) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6058251288236499429" name="_GoBack"></a>within the wings and tail came last—my attempt to soften up the image when my life became more tranquil.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I have a small tattoo on my ankle that precedes this one(s); a memorial to my best friend on my thigh; a reverse hurricane symbol on my thumb (post-Katrina); and a symbol of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perichoresis">perichoresis </a>(divine revolution) on my forearm. I’ve been told I look like a doodle pad. I get tattooed about every 5 years. If I ever become content with life, I’ll stop trying to achieve the ideal personal emblem. For now, I doodle.</div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">•••••••</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Martha also contributed the following poem which, she explained, "was inspired by a photograph on the cover of <i><a href="http://www.easyriders.com/tattoo/">Tattoo</a>."  </i>One note, Martha adds, is that "<a href="http://www.studiotattoo.com/suzanne.html">Suzanne</a> owned the shop in Ann Arbor where I got my first ankle tattoo: Creative Tattoo by Suzanne. Great T-shirt: Go forth and live as art. I heard she passed away: Her breast piece was amazing."<br /><div class="MsoNormal"></div><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Tattoo</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">She knows being chosen means to choose herself</div><div class="MsoNormal">and seals upon her breasts the Sacred Heart—</div><div class="MsoNormal">a thorn-bound garnet against open lilies,</div><div class="MsoNormal">a pink-and-white ink triptych on her chest.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Every shadow, a creed professed by lines </div><div class="MsoNormal">from votive needles to her deepest cells. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Her body gives life to art, reflects the fade</div><div class="MsoNormal">of dying flesh, and honors God’s design.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">No second thoughts, she thinks that pain</div><div class="MsoNormal">is easily a choice we make ourselves,</div><div class="MsoNormal">as is admiring her canvas skin</div><div class="MsoNormal">as it ages. Affirmed with words spelled</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">on a defiant ribbon across her chest,</div><div class="MsoNormal">her blazón: <i>Even the blackest sheep are blessed.</i> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">            [Appeared in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930974175/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1930974175%22%3ECote%20Blanche%20%28New%20Issues%20Poetry%20&%20Prose%29%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=1930974175%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22%20/%3E"><i>Côte Blanche</i></a> (New Issues, 2002)]</div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">•••••••</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.marthaserpas.com/">Martha Serpas’s</a> two collections of poetry are <i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930974175/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1930974175%22%3ECote%20Blanche%20%28New%20Issues%20Poetry%20&%20Prose%29%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=1930974175%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22%20/%3E">Côte Blanche</a> </i>(New Issues, 2002) and <i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393331431/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0393331431%22%3EThe%20Dirty%20Side%20of%20the%20Storm:%20Poems%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=0393331431%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22%20/%3E">The Dirty Side of the Storm</a> </i>(Norton, 2007). Her work has appeared in <i><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2008/04/07/080407po_poem_serpas">The New Yorker</a>, <a href="http://www.thenation.com/node/22941">The Nation</a>, </i>and <a href="http://smu.edu/southwestreview/"><i>Southwest Review</i></a>, and in </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">anthologies such as <i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802864643/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802864643%22%3EBearing%20the%20Mystery:%20Twenty%20Years%20of%20IMAGE%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=0802864643%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22%20/%3E">Bearing the Mystery: Twenty Years of Image</a> </i>and the Library of America’s <i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193108274X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=193108274X%22%3EAmerican%20Religious%20Poems:%20An%20Anthology%20by%20Harold%20Bloom%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=193108274X%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22%20/%3E">American Religious Poems</a>. </i></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A native of Bayou Lafourche in south </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Louisiana</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, she is involved in efforts to restore </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Louisiana</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">’s wetlands. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">She teaches creative writing at the </span><a href="http://www.class.uh.edu/cwp/"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">University</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> of </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Houston</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> and is a hospital trauma chaplain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />You can learn more about Martha and her writing at her website, <a href="http://www.marthaserpas.com/">http://www.marthaserpas.com/</a>.<br /><br />A sincere thanks to Martha for sharing her tattoo and poem with us here on Tattoosday! </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1930974175" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0393331431" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><br />This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. The poem is reprinted here with the permission of the author.<br /><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Martha Serpas

On this, our fourth day of the third annual Tattooed Poets Project, we are honored to have work from Martha Serpas . Readers may wonder wher...

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Cat's Hands-ome Tattoos

I met Cat earlier this week at <a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/StoreDetailView_582">Borders</a>, which has been the go-to locale for inkspotting during a very sparse winter.<br /><br />He has fifteen tattoos, but we discussed the two I noticed, on the tops of his hands:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERfTn-l31WvxfQSHB7IdslN0-QkGtGOCedf3vSvD7Rg7iUDhAM5qYm0pEs7DfM0qiAWoLxGZhAUhRmTD65BuuMTqctwRiFBPiPFhTEe3cZEVWt2riUq9ODdCrQA9L_ooQf_c-80Ld6oQ/s1600/Cats+hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERfTn-l31WvxfQSHB7IdslN0-QkGtGOCedf3vSvD7Rg7iUDhAM5qYm0pEs7DfM0qiAWoLxGZhAUhRmTD65BuuMTqctwRiFBPiPFhTEe3cZEVWt2riUq9ODdCrQA9L_ooQf_c-80Ld6oQ/s400/Cats+hands.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The tattoos are variations on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_mythology">Celtic</a> pagan designs that he modified to make his own.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH44X2rpeVdWJ8yQoNKNByNfyR4ZuzlB8lTdjgUMWsyQwjhGvuYB2zNmaNPinTRLsAVCvmizNY7A_bFC584OoUscDQ-j68bX6FltWXiotkWohCTd1j_7ZDTuCUvSKVFH7ZA-26kFAFb0/s1600/Cats+right+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH44X2rpeVdWJ8yQoNKNByNfyR4ZuzlB8lTdjgUMWsyQwjhGvuYB2zNmaNPinTRLsAVCvmizNY7A_bFC584OoUscDQ-j68bX6FltWXiotkWohCTd1j_7ZDTuCUvSKVFH7ZA-26kFAFb0/s400/Cats+right+hand.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />The right hand represents the chalice of the goddess, who represents expressiveness and creativity. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca">Wiccan</a> principles acknowledge that the goddess is the source of all expression.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EHh0meCPyrgWEQ7y_NJWZrTuDOtIl3e3rS3LEaJ2fNg8VCO9XWKXwP-Q_8V-7Jjtv-QYouGuC9fmL8VfjnSoe9z8jOrl4tF5VHDAsMtnZiCT7-NYJaVZLNbeuvrFfOZvZB3VN1N7dw4/s1600/Cats+left+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EHh0meCPyrgWEQ7y_NJWZrTuDOtIl3e3rS3LEaJ2fNg8VCO9XWKXwP-Q_8V-7Jjtv-QYouGuC9fmL8VfjnSoe9z8jOrl4tF5VHDAsMtnZiCT7-NYJaVZLNbeuvrFfOZvZB3VN1N7dw4/s400/Cats+left+hand.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br />Cat's other hand is decorated with a Celtic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triquetra">triquetra</a>. The three markings around the design are letters drawn in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theban_alphabet">Theban</a> script, each corresponding to the first initials of his three children.<br /><br />Cat says that these, as well as his other tattoos, were inked by <a href="http://villagemoontattoos.com/section/147434_Neo.html">Neo</a> at <a href="http://villagemoontattoos.com/home.html">Village Moon Tattoos</a> in Jackson Heights, in the borough of Queens.<br /><br />Readers interested in these tattoos may also be interested in checking out our old friend Livia Indica's site <a href="http://neopaganink.blogspot.com/">NeoPagan Ink</a>.<br /><br />Thanks kindly to Cat for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Cat's Hands-ome Tattoos

I met Cat earlier this week at Borders , which has been the go-to locale for inkspotting during a very sparse winter. He has fifteen tattoos...

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Tony's Celtic Fish, Swimming Up His Calf

Last month, I spotted Tony on the <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/rline.htm">R train</a> after leaving the 14th Street/Union Square station.<br /><br />About thirteen years ago, his girlfriend was getting a Celtic dog tattoo, and he decided to get inked as well:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cWfdlxVT7BK4BORabF66WAPAPAhTugmcX_Z_DoOsU-r20T6-pgXcYj_zFRn5hQirOpXaSe4Ok2SSNCeAn6pRP8yo5Jc5BM0rb1pR1Rp8RJ5q7ScIyBY_M7QvyxT_6l6cMxrIh0Lb/s1600/Tony+fish+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cWfdlxVT7BK4BORabF66WAPAPAhTugmcX_Z_DoOsU-r20T6-pgXcYj_zFRn5hQirOpXaSe4Ok2SSNCeAn6pRP8yo5Jc5BM0rb1pR1Rp8RJ5q7ScIyBY_M7QvyxT_6l6cMxrIh0Lb/s640/Tony+fish+wm.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br />These works of art on his left leg derive, he told me, were inspired by illustrations from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells">Book of Kells</a>.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc2FT3UkHeYfXgD91Ne2l3W4HG40Bfn549nIQRKYkP2nGY3hqqO1oD1JXenXYV3SAy7SJ8aXyc8T-k_BWkV9xdDSsjJfejDXH5L30aWrGwBBOhof6A19CtB8sdMuk8GooB9EzDhoA/s1600/kells_188v1_I_lion_fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc2FT3UkHeYfXgD91Ne2l3W4HG40Bfn549nIQRKYkP2nGY3hqqO1oD1JXenXYV3SAy7SJ8aXyc8T-k_BWkV9xdDSsjJfejDXH5L30aWrGwBBOhof6A19CtB8sdMuk8GooB9EzDhoA/s400/kells_188v1_I_lion_fish.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book/Manuscript: <a href="http://www.art-imagery.com/book.php?id=kells">Book of Kells</a><br />VII Century, Ireland / ScotlandPage (Folio): 188v<br />initial letter I with lion and fish<br />(from http://www.art-imagery.com/) </td></tr></tbody></table>Tony explained that he is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuba_diving">SCUBA</a> instructor, so these fish from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackerel">mackerel</a> family are a nice link to that vocation.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJft-mBorlj2kto7lxZidGxYKweMekyqrXOvwvhFWLq1haJfai2Xiu1nkJBCnp5B_ScgW5eQGeuITN61S595Kas6jzeyFO2-nEXQSnQyWC5I8IDpnqyefNLfM0fV_bh6Vv5eqL1m8u/s1600/Tony+fish+little+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJft-mBorlj2kto7lxZidGxYKweMekyqrXOvwvhFWLq1haJfai2Xiu1nkJBCnp5B_ScgW5eQGeuITN61S595Kas6jzeyFO2-nEXQSnQyWC5I8IDpnqyefNLfM0fV_bh6Vv5eqL1m8u/s640/Tony+fish+little+wm.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br />Not only have these tattoos held up over the years, they are noteworthy because they were inked by <a href="http://www.luckyfish.com/">Pat Fish</a> in Santa Barbara, who is regarded as one of the premiere artists working with Celtic designs.<br /><br />I also love the coincidental nature of Fish by Fish.<br /><br />Thanks to Tony for sharing these amazing tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Tony's Celtic Fish, Swimming Up His Calf

Last month, I spotted Tony on the R train after leaving the 14th Street/Union Square station. About thirteen years ago, his girlfriend was ...

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Kristen's Trilogy of Knots

The 34th Street Platform for the A Train has been very kind to us here at Tattoosday, even more so this summer than in years' past.<br /><br />Take Kristen, for example. She generously offered up this small portion of her corporeal canvas:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwctU4a6tHTqFt5kmQnlAE3x4aCW73vShh1r-1o6WFAZpWEBMpglWzkWTgJIGd2-ZtmLVsCUGZ7mTGCVj_Ll4AwQIk3LTpn2vdr6Q1wBRMIqUjzoE6d1efVkxjXXDVhj4aw-2GDU0/s1600/celtic+knots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwctU4a6tHTqFt5kmQnlAE3x4aCW73vShh1r-1o6WFAZpWEBMpglWzkWTgJIGd2-ZtmLVsCUGZ7mTGCVj_Ll4AwQIk3LTpn2vdr6Q1wBRMIqUjzoE6d1efVkxjXXDVhj4aw-2GDU0/s640/celtic+knots.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br />Estimating that she is at least a quarter covered by ink, this "trilogy of knots" was the artist's response to Kristen's request to attach the cobwebs on her elbow to the end of her wrist.<br /><br />The artist, identified only as "Batman" near Canal and Broadway, was also asked to incorporate a Celtic pattern, as well.<br /><br />The final result was to Kristen's liking and we here at Tattoosday thank her for sharing the tattoo with all of our readers!

Kristen's Trilogy of Knots

The 34th Street Platform for the A Train has been very kind to us here at Tattoosday, even more so this summer than in years' past. Take...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Theresa Senato Edwards

We are launching this second volume of the Tattooed Poets Project with Theresa Senato Edwards.<br /><br />Theresa seemed like the ideal candidate to kick off the month, as she is the devoted editor of <a href="http://www.hollyrosereview.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Holly Rose Review</a>, a poetry and tattoo literary arts journal.<br /><br />Theresa has four tattoos, and picked two to share with us here on Tattoosday.<br /><br />Her first tattoo was this Celtic symbol on the left part of her upper back:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzRmrAFy1mrYYtPsPtwnDSWrSFMR3-CW-oILzRCe2BkSoq1Sfr0BFfXfMFMe8CFlwFFqBKPTIFMhTTazLQ1g-GhNsZxkdDQ0e0jZWApybGTKw9xuQExe-FrESooag1dTuI23YsTGU/s1600-h/Celtic+Motherhood+Heart.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441019882394195122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzRmrAFy1mrYYtPsPtwnDSWrSFMR3-CW-oILzRCe2BkSoq1Sfr0BFfXfMFMe8CFlwFFqBKPTIFMhTTazLQ1g-GhNsZxkdDQ0e0jZWApybGTKw9xuQExe-FrESooag1dTuI23YsTGU/s320/Celtic+Motherhood+Heart.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" /></a>A closer look:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStWMeehIMjFYu8TC5TedLyra77HR8PX1wMex-0cKEQhjqkCmQo3_RA7biB2m1INbhl1FGtul3gjs7W_HycrPq7QDfgFmdEGL_aRjp8dUKL-0ScgbbCqocZAs27oeh4xm4llO7HIJS/s1600-h/theresa+1+close.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445329250244226210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStWMeehIMjFYu8TC5TedLyra77HR8PX1wMex-0cKEQhjqkCmQo3_RA7biB2m1INbhl1FGtul3gjs7W_HycrPq7QDfgFmdEGL_aRjp8dUKL-0ScgbbCqocZAs27oeh4xm4llO7HIJS/s200/theresa+1+close.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 159px;" /></a><br />Theresa tells us that this is the:<br /><blockquote>"Celtic symbol for motherhood, two dots representing my two sons. The goldish dot for Richard, his birthday in November (<a href="http://www.about-birthstones.com/novemberbirthstone.html">November birthstone</a>); the red dot for Troy, his birthday in July (<a href="http://www.about-birthstones.com/julybirthstone.html">July birthstone</a>). I had asked my younger son, Troy, if he thought it would be cool to have his artwork on my skin forever. He did, so he drew it for me, looking at a pic I got off the internet. Tattoo by Mike Calamita, <a href="http://web2.userinstinct.com/29740626-lasting-impression-tattooing.htm">Lasting Impression Tattooing</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopewell_Junction,_New_York">Hopewell Junction, NY</a>."</blockquote><br />My favorite of Theresa's four tattoos was the third one she received, this holly rose:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT3e47eRrsG_wsxHfCGbT6Dwcehi_PxgB8Z8BcpPwJ20sRPwZPnQYaP3LiiBC0dncC2WMP3D2KCyaIhyphenhyphenDecDf5lCa2W1cOLgBZxn4hLUchTKSlR0aT66Qdy7g___HaLeQAp3kKMup/s1600-h/Holly+Rose.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441020956542095554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT3e47eRrsG_wsxHfCGbT6Dwcehi_PxgB8Z8BcpPwJ20sRPwZPnQYaP3LiiBC0dncC2WMP3D2KCyaIhyphenhyphenDecDf5lCa2W1cOLgBZxn4hLUchTKSlR0aT66Qdy7g___HaLeQAp3kKMup/s320/Holly+Rose.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" /></a>Theresa explains that this holly rose is<blockquote>"a holly branch wrapped around a bloomed red/purplish rose with thorned stem.... [and] symbolizes my parents: my dad's birthday was in December; the holly is one of the plants that represents December. My mom's birthday was in June; the rose represents June. They have both been dead for more than 15 years. I had this done in their memory. That's also where the title of <span style="font-style: italic;">Holly Rose Review</span> comes from, although I didn't know that at the time I got the tattoo. Also done by Mike Calamita."</blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU35_9SL5ouNUxNKtwkKqgRVC7jKw3bUTJJHRe4DrTACj98Oth5NrgMXOUa2y4f9Z3cu2_B7Dxss7v7fxJuk_MWACPQxeAr856YcJsHNI1bELPz5EZ28OWo493ftKw9Ay8i-cKa2AI/s1600-h/Holly+Rose+CLOSEUP.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441020068029652370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU35_9SL5ouNUxNKtwkKqgRVC7jKw3bUTJJHRe4DrTACj98Oth5NrgMXOUa2y4f9Z3cu2_B7Dxss7v7fxJuk_MWACPQxeAr856YcJsHNI1bELPz5EZ28OWo493ftKw9Ay8i-cKa2AI/s320/Holly+Rose+CLOSEUP.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 320px;" /></a><br />Check out Theresa's poem "Holly Rose," about this tattoo, over at <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2010/04/tattooed-poets-project-theresa-senato.html">BillyBlog</a>. You can read more of Theresa's work over on her blog <a href="http://tacse.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks again to Theresa for helping kick off our second annual Tattooed Poets Project!

The Tattooed Poets Project: Theresa Senato Edwards

We are launching this second volume of the Tattooed Poets Project with Theresa Senato Edwards. Theresa seemed like the ideal candidate to ki...

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Summer's Celtic Cross Honors Her Father

I see a lot of crosses in my travels through the streets of New York City, so they don't generally grab my attention.<br /><br />This one, however, did:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LqgZgEqbcDKg-HLRKVLRJf_Ur0x_DSaThQlyYdbleyYrQkPQyIzXQVl7W5S7Z4Qv-wgjsz5G8QElNrAOu5_elYGK3aFxTu4ZLqYWFrAGVbjRoV_hKB7FaZ8Sw7NklxzHJg8f4Y1VTbQ/s1600-h/Celtic+Cross.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372000029066453826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LqgZgEqbcDKg-HLRKVLRJf_Ur0x_DSaThQlyYdbleyYrQkPQyIzXQVl7W5S7Z4Qv-wgjsz5G8QElNrAOu5_elYGK3aFxTu4ZLqYWFrAGVbjRoV_hKB7FaZ8Sw7NklxzHJg8f4Y1VTbQ/s400/Celtic+Cross.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /><br />There's nothing necessarily magnificent about this tattoo, but it just goes to show that a crisp, simple tattoo can be as aesthetically pleasing, sometimes moreso, than an overly-wrought elaborate design.<br /><br />Summer had this memorial piece done for her father, who passed away in 2005. His initials grace the center of the cross.<br /><br />It was inked in <a href="http://www.myspace.com/tattooville13nj">Tattooville</a> in Linden, New Jersey. This piece is on Summer's left bicep, she also has the comedy/tragedy masks on the right shoulder blade portion of her back.<br /><br />Thanks to Summer for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Summer's Celtic Cross Honors Her Father

I see a lot of crosses in my travels through the streets of New York City, so they don't generally grab my attention. This one, however,...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Alex Grant's Totemic Tattoos

<a href="http://www.redroom.com/author/alex-grant">Alex Grant</a> is one of the many writers I have met through Facebook via the poet <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/742">Dorianne Laux</a>. Originally from Scotland, he lives in North Carolina, and sent me the following photos of his tattoos:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxLRJyk_OwxPRSucmG-eA1_Z0G1k7O6PLt7OHsLN9oE_fTFkBZv0hr3SySJfeKUEFwrTusZpfbSs37bW5y_DxCP4T0LeGTafZoghMpoK7BhyphenhyphenQaPy4ZgpBZDDmb-jCwLU1a9ItcblZikow/s1600-h/ag+-+two+pieces.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314090875310084018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxLRJyk_OwxPRSucmG-eA1_Z0G1k7O6PLt7OHsLN9oE_fTFkBZv0hr3SySJfeKUEFwrTusZpfbSs37bW5y_DxCP4T0LeGTafZoghMpoK7BhyphenhyphenQaPy4ZgpBZDDmb-jCwLU1a9ItcblZikow/s400/ag+-+two+pieces.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The top piece is “a variation on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_mythology">Celtic</a> totemic symbol …which…suggests totality - Sun, Moon, Stars and sky - and the celebration of all that implies...”.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskLCIoHba3eLOTc1xarBp9Ug_fT9PzzN8eQHZRc_HEIJNUo2sjY-ipRbmrN8Lz5upLFA0ZSWoUS_VlrmAEsunsnuJ1KCkcoTBXE6rRLrGZRMe-WzvgXBdsFfITrtdlM3YNpWRqnv4GOty/s1600-h/ag+-+closeup+moon+star.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314090755388626594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskLCIoHba3eLOTc1xarBp9Ug_fT9PzzN8eQHZRc_HEIJNUo2sjY-ipRbmrN8Lz5upLFA0ZSWoUS_VlrmAEsunsnuJ1KCkcoTBXE6rRLrGZRMe-WzvgXBdsFfITrtdlM3YNpWRqnv4GOty/s400/ag+-+closeup+moon+star.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The banded tattoo below the Celtic piece is a series of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization">Mayan</a> totem symbols. He interprets them as representations of “the cycle of sleep (as in having no awareness), through awakening, through full consciousness”.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBprHifjV8sWQQs9qBBukg7m2lQYoS6DLpiRa1MSLMD2a6X51ZljKS6cqIwr9r1GPyUS5QjxLFxaaMlhFJPG8EcrcAOuXbIWZBAgo35J-_Etpck_f_WpTAgEt_PQ_XPhJ54fv9w9akDJz8/s1600-h/PDR_0812.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314091437117242546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBprHifjV8sWQQs9qBBukg7m2lQYoS6DLpiRa1MSLMD2a6X51ZljKS6cqIwr9r1GPyUS5QjxLFxaaMlhFJPG8EcrcAOuXbIWZBAgo35J-_Etpck_f_WpTAgEt_PQ_XPhJ54fv9w9akDJz8/s400/PDR_0812.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxwFcQCWtkkm7290QmnHMpTLxUxY_mBJ-bRk7z1UF5kinQfcRO7ZO1MKx_wy-NO2ZTFKdVPz2k7DCkOjb1QaBka7_f9QR1DiSZa1jTedPQHYpH6RNVNXeiqYEXPk9BR6jUH39SfOUGR0e/s1600-h/PDR_0811.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314091339474080210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxwFcQCWtkkm7290QmnHMpTLxUxY_mBJ-bRk7z1UF5kinQfcRO7ZO1MKx_wy-NO2ZTFKdVPz2k7DCkOjb1QaBka7_f9QR1DiSZa1jTedPQHYpH6RNVNXeiqYEXPk9BR6jUH39SfOUGR0e/s400/PDR_0811.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVLi-hVVqgE4GdlHZWGpFfRj_4xdcy7F6ORQOfr0wLpyQexRXM0rpxv40ZfD490cV4KA3lR8IrQt7UlGTmQ2vrQ1r_WT-TdmFBe1AYD9GFV3Bz4n1uPWzifWKR2WA_KUpMJ-Wyxlq4Jvv/s1600-h/PDR_0810.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314091226071743842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVLi-hVVqgE4GdlHZWGpFfRj_4xdcy7F6ORQOfr0wLpyQexRXM0rpxv40ZfD490cV4KA3lR8IrQt7UlGTmQ2vrQ1r_WT-TdmFBe1AYD9GFV3Bz4n1uPWzifWKR2WA_KUpMJ-Wyxlq4Jvv/s400/PDR_0810.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br />These tattoos date back to the early 1990’s (circa 1994-1996) and were inked in Berkeley, California, at <a href="http://www.mrzebra.com/home.html">Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing</a>.<br /><br />These are not the only tattoos Alex has He told me, “I have some others that I don't love so much - including some I did myself with a needle and ink at age 16!”<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Thanks to Alex for sharing his work with us here on Tattoosday!</span><br /><br />Please be sure to head on over to <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2009/01/normal-0-microsoftinternetexplorer4.html">BillyBlog</a> to read one of Alex's poems, or you can explore more of his work on his web page <a href="http://www.redroom.com/author/alex-grant">here</a>.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Alex Grant's Totemic Tattoos

Alex Grant is one of the many writers I have met through Facebook via the poet Dorianne Laux . Originally from Scotland, he lives in North ...

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