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Open Poetry #17
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I Have Two Tattoos
| Open Poetry #17 |
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I Have Two Tattoos |
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MARK V SHELDON Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015In a corporeal internship... |
(This one is simply an experiment in fiction and roleplaying... -MVS) "I HAVE TWO TATTOOS" Copyright 2001 by: MARK V SHELDON You stare at my tats like you would a Rorschach Test. Do you see yourself in them? Or do you hope to find yourself inside their exposed revelation? They're only skin-deep -- not unlike your gaze. They'll never tell you I have only one kidney. Would you care to know? Would that juicy tid- bit of personal skinny sway your preoccupation with them like you're sucking my faith in man? You seem a dog man, judging by your lack of discretion. Would you stare at my eyes if I told you I have three cats? "If you don't ask: you don't get." -Steve Miller |
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| © Copyright 2001 Mark V Sheldon - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Sunnyone Member Ascendant
since 2000-07-06
Posts 5334Staffordshire, England |
Mark, I found this to be utterly enjoyable and kept finding more meaning each time around!!! Great work here!!! The road goes on forever, the stories never end, and people are the same the world over! |
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SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
I have 5 tattoos and people are wierd sometimes...I really really like this very much Mark  |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
I like this style on you. And the dog/cats comparison underscores nicely the differences between your characters. You stimulate the reader to fill in many blanks, which heightens the interaction between the reader and the written work. Very nicely done. |
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RSWells Member Elite
since 2001-06-17
Posts 2533 |
Considered many times getting tattoo'd. Couldn't find an appropriately profound symbol of such permanence and decided they were police magnets. I have enough problems with authority. This reads of ignorance, intolerance and disrespect. I see the gape ape with an open mouth. Enjoyed. "Happy people have no history" - French Proverb |
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Interloper
since 2000-11-06
Posts 8369Deep in the heart |
I don't have any tattooes but I wear t-shirts with silly saying on them and get the same kind of stares |
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MARK V SHELDON Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015In a corporeal internship... |
Hi Sunnyone! Been a while... I'm so glad you enjoyed this one -- I was worried as I posted it that it may come across the wrong way... Thank you for your enthusiastic read & reply. Hey there, SEA: Want to know something funny? "I HAVE FIVE TATTOOS" was the original title for this piece before I rewrote it! It was a class assignment, actually, where we were to write down two truths and one falsehood on a piece of paper and exchange them anonymously with each other by drawing the slips of paper from a hat. I ended up with: "I have five tattoos", "I have one kidney", and "I have three cats." Quite the challenge to come up with a poem around that... Well, here's the result. I decided to change the title to two tattoos for I'm assuming rather obvious implications. Anyway, kudos to you for doing what you feel is right (regarding your tattoos) and remembering that people will always be quick to judge. Thanks for the read & reply. Kacy: thank you, kindly. I'm starting to stretch out a little with form since I've been so used to "blocky presentations," and this poem seemed to lend itself to couplets... I'm pleased that you noticed the different possibilities for the "mad-libs" I left for the reader to have some fun with. Richard: Police magnets... I never thought of them that way, but undoubtedly you're right. Thanks for noticing the differnet aspects implied herein. Interloper:  Thanks for the smile.-MVS "If you don't ask: you don't get." -Steve Miller |
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SEA
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
Mark, that is pretty good actually that sounds like a fun challenge, to have some snipets thrown together and create a poem from them I can cover my tattoos in the winter, so it's not so bad, but in the summer, i get stared at, like I'm a bad person or something....especially the pinched faced old ladies LOL they look at me like i am such a heathen ROFL... |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion |
Mark - Thank God you didn't say you were a Kitty-man - I would've died form shock - lol. Nice thread in this poem, the way you worked from out to in. Good writing. |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
I like this Mark! It intrigues me in some strange way, on some level. LOL...always wanted to get a tattoo...just one litte one, right about ....there, see?  Hey Sea! What tattoos do you have? Good writing Mark! Nancy ~I've loved you forever, in lifetimes before.~ |
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SEA
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
Nancy, I have a black and white and shades of grey rose on the swell of my right breast that was my first, then I got a "Thumper" looking bunny on the inside of my right ankle just above the bone, then I got a butterfly, the top is teal and it fades into purple,on my upper left shoulder (on my back), then I got my husbands name in cursive on my upper left shoulder, close to the butterfly, and then my last one is on my right inner bicep, it is a black tribal looking dragon. |
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MARK V SHELDON Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015In a corporeal internship... |
SexSEA, I must say.  LngJhnAg: Me, a "kitty man"? I love all animals, but cats are always nicer to pet when they're in someone else's house -- my dog doesn't think too highly of them... Thanks for the read and ponder. Nancy -- hey now... behave. I don't want to be a hypocrite, you know...  -MVS "If you don't ask: you don't get." -Steve Miller |
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SEA
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
well, that's cool, thanks  |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Mark, Poem and answers all very interesting. |
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catalinamoon
since 2000-06-03
Posts 9543The Shores of Alone |
I like this too, Mark. You do some interesting things with those assignments. Sandra |
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MARK V SHELDON Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015In a corporeal internship... |
As long as it's not boring, Sy... Sandra, those assignments have given my mind stretch-marks, you know? I'm starting to miss my old aesthetic, symmetrical, metered verse, but that "dated style" doesn't seem to fly with my current professor who is very "contemporary." I guess it's better to be flexible than it is to be annoyed... and I have learned quite a bit through this course... (or am I just rationalizing?)  -MVS "If you don't ask: you don't get." -Steve Miller |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Mark this is a very cool poem... the metaphor of the tattoo and the ensuing judgement on appearance worked perfectly to emote the pain and frustation behind intolerance. If your writing out of your comfort zone it sure dont show my friend...PROOF that the class is worth the time and that youre a talented poet whose pen is up to the challenge of growing Ice covers my soul |
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Larry C
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286United States |
Mark, This poem does stretch ones mind. But I'm really distracted by SEA's tattoos! May need some advice SEA. |
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MyEnchanted_Melody Senior Member
since 2001-05-30
Posts 1106across the land of dreams. In your heart, I'd always be. |
Tattoos....!? Intriguing....and interesting... I guess they always catch one's eye... I enjoyed the poem alot with all the interesting comments....and not to forget Sea's tattos... I'd love to attend a class for your "contemporary" professor.... ...It seems interesting....Thank you...& good luck with your assignments.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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MARK V SHELDON Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015In a corporeal internship... |
A humble thank you, Janet Marie... It's not easy to put one's preferences aside and tackle something new head-on, but as I've stated before, change is much more pleasant when we learn to work with it... (as long as we don't lose perspective of who we really are). Thank you for your encouraging words. Larry C., just respect the person beneath them... My Melody, yeah: tattoos! Not the first topic that would cross my mind for a poem but one full of potential, nevertheless. It would be most enjoyable to have you in my class, but a word of warning: one has to put ALL emotional attachment to one's writing away and be prepared to have it hacked to bits -- her premise (though I respect it and understand the potential of its function) I inherently disagree with: "Good writing is re-writing." I'm more of the opinion that by the time it reaches the paper, it should be FINISHED. Of course, that's just my opinion, but that's the way that I prefer to work -- the revisions are internal, and when I know what I want to comit to, THEN I put it on paper, so when I submit a poem, either to my professor or to this site, it almost always is exactly how I want it to be already. But, like I said, my mind IS getting some stretch-marks for exapanding its potential and opening it up a little further to other possibilities... ANYWAY, I'm glad you stopped by, as always! (and thanks for the "good luck" -- I think, ironically, that "luck" may be exactly what's called for... ).-MVS "If you don't ask: you don't get." -Steve Miller |
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