Inked-Off

(A study of tattoos).

Hard,
I can make weak men strong
and cowards brave,
burnished manufactured muscle,
my painted opus flows elbow to wrist,
contorted runes, hieroglyphs
or the oriental yin and yang,
I ward off demons, trolls, jinns
and drunken twats.

Soft,
my shouldered diaries
list my roving fucks,
my children’s births,
given names and family tree,
and tribal colours lace my neck,
I pick my nose with love
and wipe my arse with hate,
embrace with mum
and wank with dad

I am ink!



© Graham Sherwood 10/2015