The Tattooed Poets Project: Karissa Knox Sorrell

Our next tattooed poet is Karissa Knox Sorrell, who shared this tattoo:

Karissa had this to say about this pretty blue butterfly tattoo on her lower left leg:

"I wanted a butterfly to represent metamorphosis and becoming, and it's blue because that was my late brother's favorite color. The top wings are flames to represent my voice in the world - may the words I create be both a light to others and also burn with truth. The baby footprints are for my miscarriages. The bottom wings are vines to represent the creative power of women. This is not just the power to carry a child and give birth, but to also bring life-giving art into the world. I love the symbolism of flight, feminism, and freedom in this tattoo! I got this tattoo at Needle Bent Tattoo in Gallatin, Tennessee. The artist did a great job of collaborating with me and creating what I wanted. Unfortunately I have forgotten his name." 

Karissa also shared the following poem, which was originally published at Silver Birch Press and can also be found in her chapbook:

Chrysalis

I am waiting for a god I can touch.

I am waiting to feel the world turning,

to sense myself moving at a thousand

miles an hour. I am waiting to shout

to the universe I am here! To hope that

something out there is silent enough

to hear me. I am waiting to birth

a voice that echoes.

I am waiting for another I am,

for the incense of burning bush

on the air, for something I might recognize

as miracle, which might be as

quiet as a naked branch in winter

or my son’s heartbeat beneath my fingers.

I am waiting for the stars

to explain themselves instead

of disappearing into the past.

I am waiting for the earth

to rise up and claim itself

away from us. I am waiting for

an earthquake to split the chrysalis

wide open until every tethered

winged thing breaks into flight.

~ ~ ~

Karissa Knox Sorrell is a poet and ESOL teacher. She is the author of Evening Body, a poetry chapbook published by Finishing Line Press. Her poems can be seen in literary journals such as Two Cities Review, Blue Heron Review, Gravel Mag, and Cactus Heart. Karissa lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family of four. Read more about Karissa's work or buy her book at karissaknoxsorrell.com. Find her on Twitter @KKSorrell.

Thanks to Karissa for sharing her tattoo and poem with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2016 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission.

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A Father's Day Bonus: Janet Spots Ink on the Subway

Last month, my friend Janet (whose ink was featured on Tattoosday here) sent me the following photo:

 Janet reports:

"I took this pic in the 1 train, 23rd Street downtown subway station. The guy was *lovely* and looked like a big construction worker. His name is James, and so is his son's, pictured."

I figured this would be a nice father's day bonus.

Footprints Over the Heart: Anthony Celebrates the Continuing Tradition of a Name

Mary-Lee appeared in my doorway at the end of the work day with Anthony standing next to her.

Mary-Lee's tattoo was featured here in December. I had never met Anthony before, but Mary-Lee had mentioned his tattoo to me, and she had told him about Tattoosday. He works for one of the vendors our company utilizes for a mailing process.

Anthony, whose birth name is Antonio, is a second generation Italian-American, and the son of Antonio, Sr. He is 100% Sicilian, and last year, on July 29, experienced the joy of having a first child, a son, also named Antonio.

Antonio III.

Aside from memorial tattoos, ink honoring one's offspring is equal to, or possibly greater, in popularity. As a parent myself, I'm partial to tattoos that pay tribute to one's kids. Both of my tattoos were inked in honor of my daughters, so parental tattoos have a special place in my heart.

To so honor little Anthony III, Anthony Jr. inked his son's birth name over his heart and, just below it, had his baby footprints added.

He wears with honor the legacy of his father's name, and bears the mark of tradition, as it carries from generation to generation.

A closer look also shows that the footprints are done lighter than the print of the name, which I think is a nice effect:


A footprint isn't generally a "permanent" fixture, and fades with time. Although the tattoo is permanent, the lighter ink lends more authenticity to the temporary nature of this snapshot in little Anthony's first moments in the world. It captures the moment of his birth, a pinnacle of joy in every father's life.

For a comparison, and I pass no judgment here, check out this earlier footprint post. There's a stark difference in the two tattoos, and I will say that this example is a nicer representation of the style of tattoo.

This is Anthony's third tattoo, but clearly the most important one. He had this inked at Tattoo Lou's in Selden, New York. Work from one of Tattoo Lou's other locations has appeared previously here.

Thanks to Anthony for sharing his meaningful tribute to his son, and his family tradition, here on Tattoosday!

Charlie Honors The Birth of His Youngest Son

A cold and dreary day drove me underground on Tuesday, as I spent some of my lunch hour inkspotting, and meeting some new tattoos.

Since it was Tat-Tuesday, it only seemed fitting that I met a father and son, Amtrakking from Florida up to Boston, who had four tattoos apiece.

I met Charlie first, who had a tiger on his forearm. However, he offered up this piece on his right bicep instead:


As a parent with child-inspired ink, I certainly appreciated this tattoo which honors the birth of his youngest son, Derry.

He wanted to do a tribute, but didn't want to do a portrait, which is a popular method for doing so. Instead, he went for the footprints, name and birth date.

Whereas a portrait is a snapshot in time, footprints and/or hand prints are a record of your child's beginning, and a literal imprint of part of their flesh on one's own. There's something remarkable about the historical record contained therein, like the door jamb in the family home that displays the height-marks of the child, growing over the years.

This piece was inked by "Old School" at AK's N Chevrolets in Hollywood, Florida.


I can't find an active link for the shop, and it appears as it was renamed Almost Famous 2 Tattoos (not to be confused with Almost Famous Tattoos in Miami).

Check back in the coming days to see the tattoo offered up by Charlie's older son Jason, that ties in to this piece as well.

Thanks to Charlie for sharing his little piece of family history here on Tattoosday!