I saw one on each thigh
and one of a mythical
bird with wings
stretched by a song
that would never
be heard
on your back
because your shoulders
are so broad
the mythical bird
looked too small to fly
without being hurt
and as for your name
written in Chinese so it
could mean "wingless
man waiting to burn"
which is more like an insect
injured by a five
year old boy
although all I saw
was the build of a bull
and I thought the third
tattoo, the one with the
letter "H" as in hell
and in heaven
and in the beginning
an inscription
dedicated to your wife
and read by your lover
like graffiti on a wall.
Three Tattoos
Alison Eastley lives in Tasmania, Australia her two sons and various animals. Previous work has been published in Double Dare Press, Mannequin Envy, Cordite, Wicked Alice, Poor Mojo and many other fine literary journals.