The Tattooed Poets Project: Erica Mena

<div class="tr_bq">Among this year's Tattooed Poets' submissions, this is one of my favorite photos:</div><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/AVvXsEj8c3WH5sUzJPQusZu9uun138LMYDOeerTnJBAG_8D_ZM5uxUZcJlbPAgnTnlkiG9R_cp-kPWEAJ0qPHk3m-7KeJWCxeTQJESXJo-i_4Hqp11jbT39hDf3B51ZCPeLECwxZAwP4RySkt2A/s1600/neruda_tattoo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8c3WH5sUzJPQusZu9uun138LMYDOeerTnJBAG_8D_ZM5uxUZcJlbPAgnTnlkiG9R_cp-kPWEAJ0qPHk3m-7KeJWCxeTQJESXJo-i_4Hqp11jbT39hDf3B51ZCPeLECwxZAwP4RySkt2A/s640/neruda_tattoo.JPG" width="424" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph by <a href="http://www.juliechen.net/">Julie Chen</a></td></tr></tbody></table>This was submitted by the poet Erica Mena, whose tattoo was inspired by the great <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/279">Pablo Neruda</a>.<br /><br />Erica gives us the detail behind these wonderful tattoos:<br /><blockquote> "This is my most intimate tattoo, my Neruda tattoo: 'Love is so short, forgetting is so long.' It's a full line (punctuation included) from <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2008/04/billyblogs-favorite-poems-28-any-one-of.html">Poem XX</a> of Neruda's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143039962/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0143039962">Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair</a> in translation by <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/123">W.S. Merwin</a>. The fish in concentric circles is the symbol printed on all of Neruda's books from mid-way through his career, and was drawn from the bronze statue at his most famous house in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_Negra">Isla Negra</a>. The other two images were drawn by the tattoo artist, in response to two other lines from the same poem: 'The same night whitening the same trees. / We of that time are no longer the same.' and 'Write, for example: the night is shattered / and stars shiver blue in the distance.' The design and work were done by <a href="http://pumpkintattoo.com/our-staff/meet-fat-ram/">Ram</a> at <a href="http://pumpkintattoo.com/">Fat Ram's Pumpkin Tattoo</a> in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YPBQe7e4-ytxjG7HnOH0SITbwjcEMMCzNgCd9ZngNc8-lIsuz6g6-RL795-i5hdBLi2cliRZWWmCGq0E8sMVY-ZGEX2KUVXJOpm6OoAXZqofq3yIq9AbFuFW_ED26nKAm6NXq8RvpAA/s1600/neruda_tattoo+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YPBQe7e4-ytxjG7HnOH0SITbwjcEMMCzNgCd9ZngNc8-lIsuz6g6-RL795-i5hdBLi2cliRZWWmCGq0E8sMVY-ZGEX2KUVXJOpm6OoAXZqofq3yIq9AbFuFW_ED26nKAm6NXq8RvpAA/s400/neruda_tattoo+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><blockquote>I read Merwin's translation of Neruda's <u>Twenty Love Poems</u> when I was fifteen, and had that conversion experience, the moment when you realize this is what you want your life to be about. Not the sentiment, but the poetry. These poems, and this line in particular, convinced me that poetry can move between languages, times and places, freely and with no loss, when put into the right hands. When getting the tattoo, I considered getting the Spanish line: 'El amor es tan corto, el olvido es tan largo,' but chose the English because that was how I first encountered it. Out of all my tattoos it also hurt the most to get, fittingly I suppose--there was a moment where Ram was outlining the circles where it felt like my entire leg was on fire. Totally worth it."</blockquote>I would add that I concur with Erica completely and offer up, as proof, my post over on BillyBlog in April 2008 <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2008/04/billyblogs-favorite-poems-28-any-one-of.html">here</a>. I was running down my favorite poems for National Poetry Month and #28 was any of the poems in the book, and it just so happens I pointed to Poem XX as one shining example. The original edition translated by Merwin and illustrated by Jan Thompson is a must-have in anyone's library. But, I digress.<br /><br />Erica offered us two poems, one of her own and one she translated. We'll share both:<br /><br /><b>(no subject) (spam poem #3)</b><br /><br />good evening websit<br />Stop being a nervous wreck<br /><br />I will like you to accept this token<br />So hard you can break an egg<br /><br />hoping you will understand my point<br />this is not a myth<br /><br />Every person dreams about meeting someone<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ </div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Deus ex Machina</span></b><br /><br />Throw the dice, Lord, your turn has come and it is winter. The trident is cornered, the mountains covered with a skin of ash. Lord, behold light’s song here, your due, in the stillness of the sea and the pure discretion of the endless night. Behold your son, Fire, burning the whole surface with his touch and seducing the water with his gilded tongue. Look here, Lord, his stepsister Dawn, liquid hierophant, maker of shape. In their terrible language they tell of celebrations, obedience, sin. This time, Lord, throw to us the seed and the male of the healthier species. Don’t announce him by chance, because he will become a cry and rise up with the warm murmur of pavement, and once again be lost to us, punished, denied. Let none but you, oh Lord, wield the butcher’s knife this time; mature a chord when life ceases and rain unexpectedly cleanses the lovers’ yoked hips. Throw the dice, Lord, your turn has inevitably come. Cast them without fear from your wide hand, because luck’s twelve sides won’t wait, and the sky points towards multitudes and disaster. Throw them, Lord, your turn has come and it is burning summer.<br /><br /><i>Translation of “Deus ex machina.” From</i> La invención del día [<i>The Invention of the Day</i>]<i>. © José Mármol. By arrangement with the author. Translation © 2011 by Erica Mena. All rights reserved.</i><br /><i><i> Published in <a href="http://wordswithoutborders.org/article/deus-ex-machina#ixzz1oB39g7IF">Words Without Borders</a>, November, 2011</i></i><br /><i><i><br /></i></i><br />Erica Mena is a poet, translator and print designer, not necessarily in that order. Her poetry and translations have appeared or are forthcoming in <a href="http://www.vanitasmagazine.net/van_dex.htm">Vanitas</a>, <a href="http://www.longwood.edu/dospassosreview/">The Dos Passos Review</a>, <a href="http://www.durationpress.com/pressedwafer/mag.htm">Pressed Wafer</a>, <u>Arrowsmith Press</u>, <a href="http://wordswithoutborders.org/">Words Without Borders</a>, <a href="http://iowareview.uiowa.edu/">The Iowa Review</a>, <a href="http://www.kenyonreview.org/">The Kenyon Review</a>, <a href="http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/150">PEN America</a>, <a href="http://asymptotejournal.com/listing.php?cat=Poetry">Asymptote</a>, <a href="http://www.catranslation.org/">Two Lines</a> and others. She is the coordinator and co-host of <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reading-the-world/id354090868">Reading the World Podcast</a>, a monthly conversation about literary translation. She is the founding editor of <a href="http://www.anomalouspress.org/">Anomalous Press</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Erica for contributing this wonderful entry of the tattooed Poets project on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><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 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.</span>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Erica Mena

Among this year's Tattooed Poets' submissions, this is one of my favorite photos: Photograph by Julie Chen This was submitted by the...

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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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Mike's Incredible Aquatic Sleeve (and More!)

I had the good fortune of meeting Mike outside of Penn Station last week and, despite first noticing him because of his leg tattoos, he was extremely generous and unveiled an incredible sleeve that covered his right arm:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7J15i70pmrcmV29HI1LnqacvMXUB_vJ6cNqSy0BdbgQDOfX4AYsjCKCs9XH1Wa1psKfPsGS8-9K15ibM4FoXECb7C3V6rbtth9aUsquUpTfHiw83M61WPt3hZ6NNqphZipieRamM/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714388438253810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7J15i70pmrcmV29HI1LnqacvMXUB_vJ6cNqSy0BdbgQDOfX4AYsjCKCs9XH1Wa1psKfPsGS8-9K15ibM4FoXECb7C3V6rbtth9aUsquUpTfHiw83M61WPt3hZ6NNqphZipieRamM/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Mike is a fisherman and a loves the brightness, color and variety of oceanic life. Such things translate well to the body's canvas and make for some amazing tattoo work...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY9N5v6RaPBVfw9wCUASJXlpwZAnAPUMLuADzV4GNbBRNRtvBftgfoUsZeWy4eaA89CslMtBsinGlIfdhOLVc1Svv7uane89wgszrUKVMgJfgdFXiyHOpgaVF-9QHSLLFQgDCiisG/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714288290685826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY9N5v6RaPBVfw9wCUASJXlpwZAnAPUMLuADzV4GNbBRNRtvBftgfoUsZeWy4eaA89CslMtBsinGlIfdhOLVc1Svv7uane89wgszrUKVMgJfgdFXiyHOpgaVF-9QHSLLFQgDCiisG/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The giant octopus actually curls up over his shoulder and onto his chest, with one tentacle moving down his arm....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsfMfgCEOoQZVdxxIByxZQrE-Gog5q2AnvCUHu_2IrBplLM4oqEYx_E1WaBCe6Sejw-schUKqoosw81b5mqQ0z_kcmxm2SwyFS-02HrrNgPI9y1aMbiHyvHp2LvtO0-FTjdavffS9/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714182408603538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsfMfgCEOoQZVdxxIByxZQrE-Gog5q2AnvCUHu_2IrBplLM4oqEYx_E1WaBCe6Sejw-schUKqoosw81b5mqQ0z_kcmxm2SwyFS-02HrrNgPI9y1aMbiHyvHp2LvtO0-FTjdavffS9/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+3.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The deep sea diver punctuates the middle of his arm...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzlRxe8OovLUycgZwdL14ynU31VZtgULwWoTvoqNw8Z8W1D7a1JIxCLKhDNz0YTGpCG4CznAAr7VUd6PA8wl2QSbNTiznX6JsmjtEBpxC96EmfZBORzy94UuDlK0feESGGHO-dh5K/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714058152040130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzlRxe8OovLUycgZwdL14ynU31VZtgULwWoTvoqNw8Z8W1D7a1JIxCLKhDNz0YTGpCG4CznAAr7VUd6PA8wl2QSbNTiznX6JsmjtEBpxC96EmfZBORzy94UuDlK0feESGGHO-dh5K/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+4.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />At the bottom of the arm are tropical motifs including a huge tiki god and a hibiscus....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLom4WCTBlQJXi_RCRuvaiAW7KTIyKL55Nk8lJh_y3iCevgNHUCW1jZEfxU0_IJ-fNiWLdgX3J355XyC5VsSWoqNHRtH7OWzsYHX8qiVoGoc17NRFKhlzIiSP2vuuaAvw9X4GIgXB/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453713903699303730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLom4WCTBlQJXi_RCRuvaiAW7KTIyKL55Nk8lJh_y3iCevgNHUCW1jZEfxU0_IJ-fNiWLdgX3J355XyC5VsSWoqNHRtH7OWzsYHX8qiVoGoc17NRFKhlzIiSP2vuuaAvw9X4GIgXB/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+5.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />On the inside of his inner bicep is this fish which is a cross between an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglerfish">anglerfish</a> and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xyrichtys">razorfish</a>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-2E6FbXQ39A1Na-0fLz2KBsYAoiMqgp3f9MR1SygM84CMJZpQAh7XGSiltWDkMIdrDIqD2kW5goOgnz8nJrUUuBHGXpTm8qZyfFIrOOZ7sGtIN63Xm9kylZhxfhD4AA_tUKAflhv/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453713829412058290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-2E6FbXQ39A1Na-0fLz2KBsYAoiMqgp3f9MR1SygM84CMJZpQAh7XGSiltWDkMIdrDIqD2kW5goOgnz8nJrUUuBHGXpTm8qZyfFIrOOZ7sGtIN63Xm9kylZhxfhD4AA_tUKAflhv/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+6.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 167px;" /></a><br />And we ended with this piece that was so fresh at the time, that Mike had to peel back the protective plastic covering this amazing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffer_fish">blowfish</a>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOfpumURB8ox7g_XhiCwFkE62QId1noEem01LQN96Odft9YCj11ZngfusuR2j71y3DZrpLwmSJvjk4AF3lDpdGixcWXZXYywYTdwXWY3frFjATcSmQaQ-uCEFuZjh13-s2eQyzvuc/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+7.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453713415661527714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOfpumURB8ox7g_XhiCwFkE62QId1noEem01LQN96Odft9YCj11ZngfusuR2j71y3DZrpLwmSJvjk4AF3lDpdGixcWXZXYywYTdwXWY3frFjATcSmQaQ-uCEFuZjh13-s2eQyzvuc/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+7.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px;" /></a><br />The artist behind this amazing work is Steve Woison formerly of <a href="http://www.electrictikitattoos.com/tiki.html">Electric Tiki Tattoo</a> in Patchogue, and now at <a href="http://www.520tattoos.com/">Studio 520</a> in Oakdale, on Long Island.<br /><br />Thanks again to Mike for taking the time to share his amazing aquatic sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!

Mike's Incredible Aquatic Sleeve (and More!)

I had the good fortune of meeting Mike outside of Penn Station last week and, despite first noticing him because of his leg tattoos, he was ...

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Josh Slices Up a Sturgeon on His Culinary Sleeve

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDq89HJznGgt5d55E8Cz86vpo7PKn_bSa6R6jmQXMMTpGrlprnTrAQWefhdnOOSlNE06l-ydmI4vksvUBz94bsRnP8bdkCh0D5Z6pGHimhdBsRe2gGzmGECFrxbUJQ4BEBjIMGDM2CKrkm/s1600-h/sturgeon1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250763318788793778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDq89HJznGgt5d55E8Cz86vpo7PKn_bSa6R6jmQXMMTpGrlprnTrAQWefhdnOOSlNE06l-ydmI4vksvUBz94bsRnP8bdkCh0D5Z6pGHimhdBsRe2gGzmGECFrxbUJQ4BEBjIMGDM2CKrkm/s400/sturgeon1.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuduMIj5TrR8waDO1xKzQ9xNHWj-N7bK4I289Ltrngjrt2RII4BiHpZ9oGvjrf6mBMB-yqKgmmfOZ3k8Fz1qjb7ylctJN7Poz1gBEO9hyphenhyphenmCUAX47-WlSU7qjgAfeksTmiFdBugl4Tsh8y/s1600-h/sturgeon3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250763193135367954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuduMIj5TrR8waDO1xKzQ9xNHWj-N7bK4I289Ltrngjrt2RII4BiHpZ9oGvjrf6mBMB-yqKgmmfOZ3k8Fz1qjb7ylctJN7Poz1gBEO9hyphenhyphenmCUAX47-WlSU7qjgAfeksTmiFdBugl4Tsh8y/s400/sturgeon3.jpg" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mAZaW1MMgFPborHE85Gh95ko92taqVocF5F-jS1pQw8omCniNOTB-nfkm4F0j40Djpqyi2K8BRJgLWk9pyAHol2RnrXwLefjkk-_JgsLhsqA2a9BE4wOIPVJ149jCPg9KobKrsTyJyTd/s1600-h/sturgeon2.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>At the beginning of the week, I ran into Josh, a chef at an upscale restaurant in Tribeca. He was actually showing his tattoos to a couple of people standing with him, so I felt in apropos to join in the conversation.<br /><br />Josh is hard at work on a culinary sleeve on his left arm, which includes a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_lobster">langoustine</a>, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_jungle_fowl">Red Junglefowl</a>, and the tattoo above, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon">sturgeon</a>, complete with slicing knife and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe">roe</a>.<br /><br />The tattoo, as well as his other work, was done by <a href="http://markharada.com/index.shtml">Mark Harada</a> at <a href="http://www.eastsideinktattoo.com/">East Side Ink</a> in Manhattan.<br /><br />Thanks to Josh for sharing his sturgeon with us here on Tattoosday. Here's hoping he'll return to show us more. The Red Junglefowl was not completed, otherwise I would have asked to feature that piece here. It's a sweet piece (you can see a fragment of claw above the sturgeon). <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzFce3niFCT2eCNlyupD7VnAEEPWHXf-kzuVMonjfS1Pp8hr9fFsMddXmWuZKMfrq5SqKCaBAdeiQhlVBG9_nSKtZboJx8D5otXUBAtOWi8SD3dpDOEn_WYEGU850VGUUMGE-2DjMCnvL/s1600-h/claw.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250766000973256818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzFce3niFCT2eCNlyupD7VnAEEPWHXf-kzuVMonjfS1Pp8hr9fFsMddXmWuZKMfrq5SqKCaBAdeiQhlVBG9_nSKtZboJx8D5otXUBAtOWi8SD3dpDOEn_WYEGU850VGUUMGE-2DjMCnvL/s400/claw.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a></div>

Josh Slices Up a Sturgeon on His Culinary Sleeve

At the beginning of the week, I ran into Josh, a chef at an upscale restaurant in Tribeca. He was actually showing his tattoos to a couple ...

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