The Tattooed Poets Project: Megan Volpert

Today's tattoo comes to us from <a href="http://www.meganvolpert.com/">Megan Volpert</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilR9czD-gGTfRwHRHpkeq-QQLTBE6JyhTPuc0NM1DRBIPVQ4LdHQQHiHAe_F7oAlXtTe7P5IueQuzBL08FBIdZtWkWXhSGVZi36kygqdIhdi3c2WgzUlZkqDHn_cLmlqjtqajW3EnTXao/s402/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilR9czD-gGTfRwHRHpkeq-QQLTBE6JyhTPuc0NM1DRBIPVQ4LdHQQHiHAe_F7oAlXtTe7P5IueQuzBL08FBIdZtWkWXhSGVZi36kygqdIhdi3c2WgzUlZkqDHn_cLmlqjtqajW3EnTXao/s400/photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Megan explains the origin of this tattoo:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"The attached photo is of my right ankle, three days after I got a funeral tattoo for my great friend, <a href="http://justinhilbun.bandcamp.com/">Justin Hilbun</a>. Justin died in a one-car crash in his early thirties, and was the first of my friends whose death I would classify as 'sudden' and 'too soon.' His jazz funeral was held in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Quarter">French Quarter</a> on 6-5-09, and I couldn't be there, so I got this ink for him that day instead. It's a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur-de-lis"><i>fleur-de-lis</i></a>, because that's the symbol of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans">NOLA</a> and when I think of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana">Louisiana</a>, I think of Justin. He was a very talented musician, and when he died, he was working on an album that you can listen to here: <a href="http://justinhilbun.bandcamp.com/">http://justinhilbun.bandcamp.com/</a>. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">The tattoo is just a straightforward tracing job, but I went to get it from a lady I'd worked with before: <a href="https://sailorjerry.com/tattoos/artists/danielle-distefano/">Danielle Distefano</a>, the owner of <a href="http://onlyyoutattoo.com/">Only You Tattoo</a> [in Atlanta]. She wasn't there that day, and I had to get it done that day, so I went with Chuck Donoghue. I talked about Justin the whole hour, and Chuck really respected what I was there to do."</blockquote>[Incidentally, Danielle Distefano's work appeared on the Tattooed Poets Project back in 2011, courtesy of the poet Noemi Soto, <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/04/tattooed-poets-project-noemi-soto.html">here</a>.]<br /><br />Megan also sent along this poem, adding it was written "a few years after getting the tattoo, which is also about that same space on my body and, in a way, about how I handled Justin's death":<br /><br />*Ankles disappear*<br /><br />They used to go behind my head. There were bony knobs that<br />would cut cleanly through glassine pools, step out soulfully<br />tanned and ready to run. Now my shoes feel too tight. Those<br />delicate corners have been rounded by the fat of a career and a<br />few too many loose cobblestone sprains. I wonder when I will<br />be able to predict a storm is coming, and want to define living<br />daylights. Attempt to circumnavigate the space of things that<br />have been scared out of you, and try to tie a rope around all<br />those things of which you used to be so certain. Use a mirror to<br />do it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~</div>Megan Volpert is a high school English teacher who lives in Atlanta. The poem printed here is forthcoming in her fifth book, Only Ride (<a href="http://siblingrivalrypress.com/">Sibling Rivalry Press</a>, 2014). Predictably, meganvolpert.com is her website.<br /><br />Thanks to Megan for her contribution to the Tattooed Poets Project on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><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=1937420043" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3363327574916184" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission.</span></span></b></div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3363327574916184" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3363327574916184" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3363327574916184" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3363327574916184" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; 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. </span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please feel free to visit </span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; 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></b></div></span></span><br /><br />

The Tattooed Poets Project: Megan Volpert

Today's tattoo comes to us from Megan Volpert : Megan explains the origin of this tattoo: "The attached photo is of my right ankle,...

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Erin's Tribute to Thomas, Her Grandfather

Back in June, I met Erin on the subway, and she shared this section of her inner forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9_99zc8eEsZ-RPHjY1V0OQxsYs8oDmBo_VVKSyF3dUnPbIIOtxTytlAhzHjP20eb7QoSdSUfRFUYsuKc9evaHP55De9aQ50A_yG_3CSyBKyfBPq_3YYSt2DTOEOU-tOj5ru4GvfI1W0/s1600/erin+anchor+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9_99zc8eEsZ-RPHjY1V0OQxsYs8oDmBo_VVKSyF3dUnPbIIOtxTytlAhzHjP20eb7QoSdSUfRFUYsuKc9evaHP55De9aQ50A_yG_3CSyBKyfBPq_3YYSt2DTOEOU-tOj5ru4GvfI1W0/s640/erin+anchor+1.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br />This tattoo is a tribute to her grandfather, Thomas, who served in the U.S. Navy.<br /><br />The work was done at <a href="http://www.highstreettattoo.com/">High Street Tattoo</a> in Columbus, Ohio.<br /><br />Erin explained:  <br /><blockquote>"I just told [the artist] that I wanted something that would relate to the Navy, I guess, so that's the anchor. I like Old School tattoos, I like <a href="http://sailorjerry.com/">Sailor Jerry</a> classic-style."</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKm7QceGyN_R7iOflwSYFS6myrZ8WVjNDqElD3GmIYVaUW77KZhQilCa4oMW-YH9HAt_VgZLvSuS0QDsh85Feo0RRDcPfHEBYF4k9sqDvd6Z4KzgZluZhoZy1wG1Gp5rO1TNfa2OLeVJA/s1600/erin+anchor+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKm7QceGyN_R7iOflwSYFS6myrZ8WVjNDqElD3GmIYVaUW77KZhQilCa4oMW-YH9HAt_VgZLvSuS0QDsh85Feo0RRDcPfHEBYF4k9sqDvd6Z4KzgZluZhoZy1wG1Gp5rO1TNfa2OLeVJA/s640/erin+anchor+detail.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><br /> Erin also has a Friday the 13th tattoo below this, on her wrist:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQGYsgYjzZs1-Qxtt1BOkW6IBRN5SO-alYQ4CtBhaJUH-hT7w-NlR-7J1amCfIqpv_A8u0XvP-Z_rBm3y1s1Bmn6WGBFCGPyaL4nNSkAdewCJOEQ-ZCJKyL4v73Gl5pLEPNksEKmfgNg/s1600/erin+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQGYsgYjzZs1-Qxtt1BOkW6IBRN5SO-alYQ4CtBhaJUH-hT7w-NlR-7J1amCfIqpv_A8u0XvP-Z_rBm3y1s1Bmn6WGBFCGPyaL4nNSkAdewCJOEQ-ZCJKyL4v73Gl5pLEPNksEKmfgNg/s400/erin+13.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br />This was done at <a href="http://www.onlyyoutattoo.com/">Only You Tattoo</a> in Atlanta.<br /><br /><br />Thanks to Erin for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><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>

Erin's Tribute to Thomas, Her Grandfather

Back in June, I met Erin on the subway, and she shared this section of her inner forearm: This tattoo is a tribute to her grandfather, Thoma...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Noemi Soto

Today's tattooed poet is <a href="http://noemisoto.com/dreamland/">Noemi Soto</a>, who sent us this lovely, colorful photo of her tattoo:<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/AVvXsEgnm8DgHyr0KZ1b2sptJQg8DaEOLb8rTclf6eun5KerF2dZH9bsnMGeNnZQQzoE7Suz57PaMACGbKUjoRHJWngK72DenkG_9tTvBIF5zWxBllodphiaNLZfjHb-StYYP5msQDI1sBj8VlY/s1600/HeartTattoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnm8DgHyr0KZ1b2sptJQg8DaEOLb8rTclf6eun5KerF2dZH9bsnMGeNnZQQzoE7Suz57PaMACGbKUjoRHJWngK72DenkG_9tTvBIF5zWxBllodphiaNLZfjHb-StYYP5msQDI1sBj8VlY/s400/HeartTattoo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of Noemi Soto</td></tr></tbody></table>Noemi explains:<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">"I designed the tattoo for myself during a pretty rough period after a major breakup about 6 years ago. I wanted it to represent the heartbreak that I was feeling at the time but still hold hope for the future. The artist who tattooed me was Danielle Distefano while she was working out of <a href="http://www.daredeviltattoo.com/">Dare DevilTattoo</a> on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Ludlow Street</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Manhattan</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">." </span></div></blockquote></div>Danielle is currently tattooing out of <a href="http://www.onlyyoutattoo.com/">Only You Tattoo</a> in Atlanta, Georgia.<br /><br />Noemi offers up this poem:<br /><br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Beginning is the End is the Beginning</span></u></b></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Back when I was younger<br />My mother tried to protect my heart<br />Always telling me to never bare my insides for a man<br />to never let him in fully so that he may devour what I hold dear<br />to not let a man do to me what had been done to her</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Her backbone used to show signs of strength but now lacks the stamina to withstand the battle<br />She was once a woman so strong in her will<br />but with every man in her life taking pieces of her for themselves<br />she has now become a mere shell of herself<br />The stink of her childhood still lingering in her hair</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I was witness to the tug of war my father and her used to play<br />saw the push and pull of their hearts<br />there was nothing unconditional about their love<br />not even when it came to me<br />there is nothing sentimental and heartfelt in the throwing of pots, pans and fists<br />“I love you” cannot be said through the gnashing of one’s teeth</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So when it came time for my will to be tested<br />I acted on what I saw and not what I was told<br />What I was shown was that to be a woman meant having to bend your spine so far back to please your man that you broke yourself in two<br />To stretch those parts of yourself out so that you may give him the smoothest of surfaces in which he may stomp your hopes and dreams into<br />To ignore his faults and accept them as your own<br />How dare you even think otherwise?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I was taught that… to be a woman meant having to pick up the pieces that were left behind from his war path<br />making sure only your feet bled in the process to save his<br />Being a woman always meant never asking any questions<br />to let him roam and if he comes back … well… what more do you want?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I followed all of these lessons very carefully<br />made sure I folded the laundry just right<br />had dinner ready when he came home<br />and always made sure to give him his space<br />only to find myself face down on the floor, arms pinned behind me, with all of his weight pressing his right knee into my back<br />I waited until he left the room to get up</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I stayed in silence<br />still willing to be the woman behind the man<br />Still willing to be the glass which he slammed his fist against<br />shattering any sense of self worth I had just for him</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I began to wonder if this really was what it meant to be a woman or just the kind of woman who was so lost in herself that she was willing to let a man tell her what she should be<br />and if it did …. Then I had to learn to become my own woman<br />and I couldn’t do that by being underneath his thumb</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So I bent back each one of his fingers till they snapped at the joints to show him how serious I was<br />It was the only way to break free<br />and while he screamed in pain and cursed me for having been born</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br />I cleared a way for myself through the broken home which I was sure would last forever<br />letting him know that he no longer had a hold on me<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Noemi Soto is a Brooklyn, New York native who was born and raised in Coney Island and is a recent transplant to Queens. Her poetry has been featured in a variety of publications such as <i><a href="http://www.acentosreview.com/Home.html">The Acentos Review</a></i>, <a href="http://theliteraryburlesque.com/"><i>The Literary Burlesque</i></a>, <a href="http://litupmagazine.wordpress.com/"><i>LitUp Magazine</i></a> & <a href="http://www.southjerseyunderground.com/"><i>South Jersey Underground</i></a>. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and is currently working on her first book. You can read more of her work  at her website <a href="http://noemisoto.com/dreamland/">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks to Noemi for her contribution to the Tattooed Poets Project!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">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 </span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><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>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Noemi Soto

Today's tattooed poet is Noemi Soto , who sent us this lovely, colorful photo of her tattoo: Photo Courtesy of Noemi Soto Noemi explains...

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