Why Do You Get Tattoos?

I want to show my soul on my body for everyone to see

My passions, my interests, my heartbreaks

Not everyone, or maybe no one will understand

These works of art are not written in the script

Nor are they laid out like a picture book

But they are me.

I want to touch people's lives with curiosity

To make them dig deep

I want them to see things from a different picture

And maybe make them believe

This art on my skin is more than a symbol

It is my heart, my soul, my very being

It holds more meaning than one could fathom

But they are me.

Some are botched

Some are beauty

Some aren't even what I thought I wanted

But each tells a story

Of the long years I have committed

To a feeling

To a tragedy

To a passion.

I cannot tell you the importance of getting tattooed.

Because it lies in one's self.

Tattoos are not for the viewer

They are not for the artist

Nor are they for the soul.

Tattoos are for the mind

And all those who seek to embrace it.

Author's Note: This is for everyone who is tired of being asked "what does it mean" and "why did you get that."