Pain and Permanence
This afternoon I was listening to Salt and Syncope by Forget Cassettes. I was wondering what “syncope” meant, so I wikipediaed it. It’s the difference between “over the ramparts” and “o’er the ramparts.”
It’s also what happens when you get a tattoo without eating enough during the day.
I was having a vivid dream, and Chris from the tattoo parlor was there saying my name quite insistently.
“Jesse. Jesse,” she said. I noticed that I was dreaming and opened my eyes.
“Do you know where you are?” she asked me.
“I’m at the Inklab,” I said. “I think that I fell asleep.”
“No, you passed out.”
All I remember is feeling nauseated and asking Charlie to stop, then waking up. Sarah tells me that my eyes rolled back in my head and I shook like I was having a seizure. How embarrassing!
After my little nap I felt great, except that I was crazy hungry. Sarah brought me Arby’s, I ate, and then went back for the actually painful parts. It took forever, hurt like a bastard, and I tipped heavily.
I’m taking off the bandage now so I can see it for the first time.
“Oh my god, it’s huge!”
That’s the first time that I’ve been the one to say that. Wow.
First Poem For You - by Kim Addonizio
I like to touch your tattoos in complete
darkness, when I can’t see them. I’m sure of
where they are, know by heart the neat
lines of lightning pulsing just above
your nipple, can find, as if by instinct, the blue
swirls of water on your shoulder where a serpent
twists, facing a dragon. When I pull you
to me, taking you until we’re spent
and quiet on the sheets, I love to kiss
the pictures in your skin. They’ll last until
you’re seared to ashes; whatever persists
or turns to pain between us, they will still
be there. Such permanence is terrifying.
So I touch them in the dark; but touch them, trying.
Is that what you got?
I thought it was this. . .
http://www.bmezine.com/tattoo/A40108/high/asstattoo015.jpg
Wow! I bet that hurt a LOT more than that 60-second circumcision you had when you were five days old. Now I don’t feel so bad, although I can still hear your little baby screams coming from down the hall.
As far as the tattoo: Beautiful work and excellent coloring.
Holy mother! That is huge. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, but never got around to it really. Not that I even would know what to get. I think my time has passed, your’s only passed out. ;-)
Holy mother that is huge! jmo+1. My little star seems so… little now.
h0bbel: smalahove!
ckdake: apparently I have giant balls. Who knew?
mom: thanks for bringing up circumcision. SO MUCH.
You’re welcome, oh, son o’mine. I’m just glad to be rid of all that guilt for the pain inflicted on you by dark-age doctors. Knowing that you chose three friggin’ HOURS of pain makes that 60 seconds seem like nothing. So thanks to you too!!