Tattooi "badges of summer" my mother called them (a reminder of the lesson inspired by third-degree burns that scars of the flesh can be beautiful) the scrapes and scratches skinned knees the only badges I ever received never having been a brownie so I collected them showed them off these trophies of achievement as if there werenít mutilations or perhaps as if mutilation were something to be treasured ii. if someone were to ask me now what I want to be when I grow up Iíd say - a canvas I long to be painted coloured on brushstrokes tickling me not to become beautiful but to have beauty touch me intimately iii. touch the burn nearest my wrist the smoothest skin you will ever know the straightest lines on this curved body all accidental iv. as the needle slips into skin an awakening of sensation mist lifting revealing mountains of awareness no memory of any other scarís becoming compares to this feeling on/under/inside me shadings of ink layer over meaning flesh into darkness into light this is a gift to myself a scar freely chosen an indelible painting a beauty mark v. no reason really to sing praises for scars but under my skin somehow they hum who can guess when grace will come with its strange and beautiful causes |
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