tattoo

by

talking to graham….

digital decoupage cwmartin 2011

i showed
aunt bea
 leonard cohen’s
double heart tattoo
since graham
wondered what
she would think
about it
she smiled
and said
it’s a better
symbol of true love
than
two interlocking rings
i said
i don’t see
the difference
she said
rings can be cut off
but the only way
to separate
two joined hearts
is
for one
to die

by

visit your local tattoo parlor…

digital decoupage cwmartin

aunt bea
suggested that i
get a heart tattoo
with a line through it
i asked
why
well
she said
most folks
are going
to tell you
what you’re doing wrong
and
you’ll need something
to remind you
not
to take it
to
heart

by

the tattoo…

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