Archive for May 2008

Elvish Tattoo

This tattoo belongs to Donna:

The tattoo is written in Sindarin using Tengwar (Tengwar Parmaite font) and reads:
Eru cân vanadh nîn
‘God commands my destiny’

- From The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

(source)

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The Bell Jar & Doctor Faustus tattoos

“I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart: I am, I am, I am.”

- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Consummatum est: this bill is ended,
And Faustus hath bequeathed his soul to Lucifer.
But what is this inscription on mine arm?
Homo fuge! Whither should I fly?
If unto God, he’ll throw me down to hell.
My senses are deceived; here’s nothing writ:
I see it plain, here in this place is writ,
Homo fuge! Yet shall not Faustus fly.”

- Faustus in The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe

(source)

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Tattoo from The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

From The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

(source)

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all theories
like clichés
shot to hell,
all these small faces
looking up
beautiful and believing;
I wish to weep
but sorrow is
stupid.
I wish to believe
but belief is a
graveyard.
we have narrowed it down to
the butcherknife and the
mockingbird.
wish us
luck.

- No Title by Charles Bukowski

(source)

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May 27

Dr. Seuss

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The Cat in the Hat

From The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss.

(unknown source – email me)

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May 26

Poetry

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Tattoo of the word \

Poetry.

(source)

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May 25

Henry Rollins

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Henry Rollins Tattoo

“Get your god in my way, and I will bring you the rapture.”

- Henry Rollins

(source)

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May 24

Isaiah 22:13

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Iasiah 22:13 Tattoo

“And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.”

- Isaiah 22:13

From the LA Times:

The military is trying to discourage its troops from getting showy tattoos.

But who could object to a quote from the Bible, right?

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Definition of Heart

heart (härt) n.
The vital center and source of one’s being, emotions, and sensibilities

(source)

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May 22

Allen Ginsberg

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“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked,
dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix…”

- Allen Ginsberg, Howl

(submitted by bophie)

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  • Welcome to Contrariwise

    This is a website about literary tattoos. That is, tattoos based on books, poems, lyrics, and many other literary sources.

    My email address is jen@contrariwise.org, so send your comments / suggestions / praise / hate that way. If you want to submit your own tattoo (please do!), see this page.

    Submit your Harry Potter tattoos for Harry Potter week! (Coming soon!)