my back tattoo is only half a back
the purity of natural born loser's poor choices
was gonna get outlaw Jack of Diamonds
representing myself - outlaw jack of all words
and then Suicide King to signify
paternal blood lines - reckless king of all dives
then at the top in garishly beautiful script
STANDING PAT - a blackjack hand not destined
to win automatically but
fuck it, still pretty good
got the jack done, third eye activated
small side street in Scottsville tattoo parlor
operated by a dude from down the road
but then he was gone, to Germany or Arizona
and his style was too unique plus affordable
being a small town and shit
so never got the suicide king
just half a back tattoo, holding a jack of diamonds
waiting for life to deal me the other card
every now and then my youngest child
walks by as I'm shirtless (naturally)
and she slaps my back, yelling
SLAPJACK! and runs off laughing
one of my blessings to remember since it feels like
some folks lose so hard
they never even finish getting their hand dealt
before life folds up on top of them
like metaphysical tangle of blackberry bushes
fruitless to fight
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