it started
just below her ear
and coursed down
her neck
covering parts of her breast
winding like a politician’s words
to her back
vining down her leg
it was there
for all to see
it protected her
from her own teachings
of love thy neighbor
she was willing to die
for those who shared
the same tattoo
but those
whose markings
were different
were to be
guarded against
kept away
shunned
and shown
no mercy
in battle
that they had children
and husbands
lying dead
in the rubble of life
was not her concern
for they did not have
the tattoo of god
as
she saw
god
Too too good!! LOVED the metaphor…
Such is the sad state of this world we are living in now though (sigh)
A great message conveyed in the most powerful manner, Charles!!
(tearful applause)
Wow–this is amazing! I love your work–what medium did you use in the piece above?
I’m looking forward to getting back to the US for a couple of weeks, both so I have access to my poems, but also so I have the bandwidth to upload photos and images. Here in Haiti it’s close to impossible.
My visual stuff is mostly mixed media, collage, assemblage, with some color pencil/pen and ink/painting at times.
Powerful lines drawn
in respect of how far one can cross
the lines of one’s life! This has many meanings,
depending on what one is going thru, has come out of and what is to come!
You set a nice stage for some good ole fashioned thinking here!
Interesting. Very interesting – I love the use of the tattoo for that metaphor. Very striking, very heavy piece – from that very first image description of “winding like a politician’s words” it socks you out of any pretensions of simplicity in the poem, opens the mind to the waiting depth and potency of the piece. A cruel world we live in, true – and your poem, and your tattooed woman certainly capture that.
Oh, well done! – better have the ‘right’ god’s tattoo or else… It all sounds so silly, doesn’t it, when set down straight, bluntly, like you do. Like an arrow of truth piercing the veil of duality.
It’s a double treat, Charles to learn that you worked on the photo to achieve that effect and that your poem brought out our propensity to build our own gods so deftly.
(I’m behind…will be going over your past posts. I don’t want to miss the depths you evoke.)
Really amazing poem. I was thinking it was discussing racism til the last few lines. You always have such a good hook in these then the end always brings that question in the mind to ease.
it started
Read Between the Minds 
Another amazing poem…very keen representation of the tattoos and a timeless message.
I like the ‘winding like a politician’s words’ 🙂
Too too good!! LOVED the metaphor…
Such is the sad state of this world we are living in now though (sigh)
A great message conveyed in the most powerful manner, Charles!!
(tearful applause)
chilling, the description of the tattoo and the meaning of it through her eyes.. wonderful one, Martin..
Wow–this is amazing! I love your work–what medium did you use in the piece above?
I’m looking forward to getting back to the US for a couple of weeks, both so I have access to my poems, but also so I have the bandwidth to upload photos and images. Here in Haiti it’s close to impossible.
My visual stuff is mostly mixed media, collage, assemblage, with some color pencil/pen and ink/painting at times.
I used Photoshop CS5 to modify the image…in other words it is a photograph modified to look like a painting. 😉
Bigotry, cruelty, sad concept, interesting metaphor.
Powerful lines drawn
in respect of how far one can cross
the lines of one’s life! This has many meanings,
depending on what one is going thru, has come out of and what is to come!
You set a nice stage for some good ole fashioned thinking here!
Interesting. Very interesting – I love the use of the tattoo for that metaphor. Very striking, very heavy piece – from that very first image description of “winding like a politician’s words” it socks you out of any pretensions of simplicity in the poem, opens the mind to the waiting depth and potency of the piece. A cruel world we live in, true – and your poem, and your tattooed woman certainly capture that.
Intriguing! Well done.
Oh, well done! – better have the ‘right’ god’s tattoo or else… It all sounds so silly, doesn’t it, when set down straight, bluntly, like you do. Like an arrow of truth piercing the veil of duality.
wow.
continue to be impressed with your ideas and wonderful images.
its amazing where you take a poem…
It’s a double treat, Charles to learn that you worked on the photo to achieve that effect and that your poem brought out our propensity to build our own gods so deftly.
(I’m behind…will be going over your past posts. I don’t want to miss the depths you evoke.)
Good poem. Thanks for sharing yourself with the rest of us.
http://timkeen40.wordpress.com
this poem remids me of one of my friendswho……
The poem winds around the issues like the tatto winds around her. Fine use of an unusual metaphor. Love it. Thanks!
I like this one, Charles
Peace,
Laz
Really amazing poem. I was thinking it was discussing racism til the last few lines. You always have such a good hook in these then the end always brings that question in the mind to ease.
Oh, excellent.
a very beautifully written poem charles, truth told in an elegant way.
representation…
loved it