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Inspired: Literary Tattoos
By Erica | May 10, 2010
Not unlike other college students who opt for a liberal arts degree in English, I’m a sucker for poetry. I often find myself a teary-eyed mess after thumbing through page after page of Wordsworth & Keats. I get equally as excited about “Open Mic/Drunk Poet Sundays” at the local pub as I do about Thirsty Thursdays. I even (attempt) to write my own masterpieces if the mood strikes–the whole nine yards.
A few months ago, I discovered that I was far from alone in my obsession with words. Enter Contrariwise, a website dedicated to showcasing the tattoos of those brave, (albeit, slightly nerdy) souls among us who decide to dedicate a portion of their body to the magical words of the masters. Although the site stopped updating regularly in March [EDIT: I just checked the site today & it's back in action. Coincidence? I think not!], I revisited it about a week ago to peruse the archives after a good friend of mine spontaneously got inked on her forearm as a sort of “farewell” to undergrad life. Inspired by her impulsivity (& the fact that her tattoo looked beautiful), the wheels in my own head started turning & I decided that yes, it’s time. I’m going to get a tattoo. I called my Mother who immediately responded with, “I’m surprised it took you this long!” & it was settled.
Now, it was on to the hard part: What the eff do I want tattooed on my body for.the.rest.of.my.life? But the answer hit me like a ton of books: A quote. A literary quote. A quote from a poem. Duh!
Right now, I’m debating between a Conor Oberst lyric (“I will be grateful for this day/I will be grateful for each day to come”) or the line “Nothing Gold Can Stay” from Robert Frost’s epic poem about letting go. But until I have my own beaut to share, here are some of my faves from Contrariwise:
Fight Club = my fave movie of all time.
From one my favorite poems, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
& if I can’t decide on one particular quote, there’s always this option:
Thinkin’ about ink?
♥ Mayo Clinic tells it like it is.
♥ Google Images is another great place to look for tattoos that might tickle your fancy.
♥ Gala Darling wrote a wonderful post about tattoos: How To Get A Great Tattoo And Never Regret It
♥ BMEzine (aka the body modification ezine) is the place to look for tattoo inspiration. Check out their extensive photo gallery from tattooed ladies & gents from around the globe.
♥ About.com provides in-depth information about every part of the tattoo process: from planning your design, to choosing an artist to proper after care. A must-read!
I want to hear about your tattoo experiences. Were you nervous, excited–a little bit of both? Did you do your research or get your tat on a whim? Talk about it in the comments!
xoxo erica lee
Topics: Body, Inspiration | 4 Comments »
May 10th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
hey, i found your blog because of the comment you left on contrarywise.org… im definitely gonna continue reading some of your older posts later!! as for the tattoo, the conor oberst lyric is great! (though depending on where you want to place your tattoo, it might be a bit long..). from the same song i once considered getting the line “gold & green & true” in ink, i still think it would make a great tattoo!! eventually i got another line from one of his songs though, “no lies, just love.” it’s on the inside of my left upper arm now, close to my heart ♥
May 10th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
I have 3 tattoos (and more to come), and I was pretty nervous about all of them, but excited too. The first was my most nerve wracking – but once I realized the pain wasn’t unbearable I got hooked – it’s so addictive! Be ware!
Anyways, my first (a Liverpool Football Club tat) I had planned for years and years, the 2nd was kind of on a whim (a symbol representing my fiance’s name) and the 3rd I had planned, but changed my mind at the last minute and it ended up being on a whim too – it was just something that represented the kind of emo state I found myself in at the time.
It’s funny how the tattoo isn’t representative of how I see myself now – but it’s great to look at it and think back to what I was like and where I was at the time.
Great blog, by the way :)
May 11th, 2010 at 9:13 am
Cath – I’m too pumped that there are gonna be new posts up @ Contrariwise now. I was feeling a little deprived :) Anyway, I was thinking about getting the Conor Oberst tattoo maybe on the side/curving onto the top of both of my feet. One part on one side, one on the other. But I’m not so sure about foot tattoos–I’ve heard they really hurt from some & heard they don’t @ all from others (but I’m a baby, so I’ll probably cry either way. Haha.) But I love the line you choose, too! Conor is just such an amazing lyricist that I could probably get anything he’s ever written tattooed on me & be more than happy!
Brett — Thanks for the tat advice! I always hear that it’s addicting (& let’s just say I’m prone to addictions. I used to have 6 piercings all over the place)! I have a feeling my experience might end up like your 3rd one–going in with a solid plan & coming out with something completely off the wall. I guess, like you said, tattoos can serve as a nice reminder of “who you were then” no matter what you decide to get.
December 29th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
[...] a personal chord with me! I just about ‘squee’d’ when I read her popular post on Inspired: Literary Tattoos, since it combines two of my unrepentant loves: literature and ink-beneath-skin. In her lovely [...]