Archive for July 2008

Jul 31

Maori Proverb

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“Hurihia to aroaro ki te ra tukuna to atarangi kia taka ki muri i a koe.”
Submitted by Toan:

Its an old maori proverb meaning “turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you”.
Need I say more.

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Submitted by Michele Polak:

“In women’s speech, as in their writing, that element which never stops resonating, which, once we’ve been permeated by it, profoundly and imperceptibly touched but it, retains the power of moving us—that element is the song: the first music from the first voice of love which is alive in every woman. Why this privileged relationship with the voice? Because no woman stockpiles as many defenses for countering the drives as does a man. You don’t build walls around yourself, you don’t forego pleasure as “wisely” as he. Even if phallic mystification has generally contaminated good relationships, a woman is never far from “mother” (I mean outside her role functions: the “mother as noname and as source of goods). There is always within her at least a little of that good mother’s milk. She writes in white ink.

- Hélène Cixous, “The Laugh of the Medusa”

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Brigette says:

I have a tattoo very closely based on the original rocking-horse fly illustration from Through the Looking Glass (1871), the sequel to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. John Tenniel was the illustrator; these prints were made with woodblocks.

Photo from her tattoo artist’s portfolio:

“Well, there’s the Horse-fly,” Alice began, counting off the names on her fingers.

“All right,” said the Gnat: “half way up that bush, you’ll see a Rocking-horse-fly, if you look. It’s made entirely of wood, and gets about by swinging itself from branch to branch.”

“What does it live on?” Alice asked, with great curiosity.

“Sap and sawdust,” said the Gnat. “Go on with the list.”

Alice looked up at the Rocking-horse-fly with great interest, and made up her mind that it must have been just repainted, it looked so bright and sticky; and then she went on.

- Excerpt from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

» Read more after the jump →

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Jul 28

Gandhi

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This tattoo was submitted by Daphne, who says: “My tattoo is a quote by Gandhi that I saw on the wall of his ashram in Ahmedabad.”

Gandhi tattoo

“My life is my message.”

- Gandhi

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Jul 27

Lover Lay Down

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Tattoo submitted by Amy from Dallas:

Lover Lay Down Tattoo

Oh please
Look please lover lay down
Oh please lover lay down
And you weep
Lover lay down
Cause it’s over
Lover lay down
Say love, say love, say love, say love, say love
Could I love you
Could you love me
Darling it’s
All the same
‘Til we dance away
Chasing me all around
Leading me all around
Leading me all around in circles
Leading me all around in circles
Say…

- Excerpt from Dave Matthews Band’s Lover Lay Down

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Jul 26

dot dot dot

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This tattoo was submitted by Seraph.

ellipsis tattoo

ellipsis \i-ˈlip-səs, e-\
n.
A mark or series of marks ( . . . or * * * , for example) used in writing or printing to indicate an omission, especially of letters or words.

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Jul 25

The Giving Tree

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Giving Tree Tattoo

From The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

This tattoo was submitted by Kay.

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Dylan Thomas Tattoo

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

- From ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’ by Dylan Thomas

This tattoo was submitted by dylan Snow, who says:

Years ago when I showed this tattoo to my grandmother (who once kicked a man out of her house for having an earring) she told me she approved. It was her grandmother’s favorite poem and favorite poet.

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Jul 23

Harriet the Spy

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harriet the spy tattoo

This Harriet the Spy tattoo was submitted by Courtney B, a Young Adult Librarian.  She says:

It’s supposed to be a permanent reminder not to leave my notebooks around where other people will read them.

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Tattoo submitted by Jenna B. (of “those who matter don’t mind“):

think what you feel tattoo

Stumble don’t rumble
‘Cause you might get killed
Sip but don’t tip
‘Cause your beer you might spill
Think what you feel
‘Cause your feelings don’t think
Here at the office,
We know just one drink

- Chorus of “Office” by Pepper

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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.