Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos Over 600 tattoos from books, poetry, music, and other sources.

I am. I am. I am.

Three very distinct tattoos from Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar.

This is Jude's tattoo.

It is an anatomically correct heart with the words "I am. I am. I am." pumping out. each "I am" is slightly bigger the the previous to symbolize the beating effect of the words at described in the book, The Bell Jar.

The words " I am" can have any meaning, but the way I perceived such strong words were " I am Here. I am Alive. I am Okay."

This is Emma's tattoo.

For me the quote means a lot and speaks a great deal to a very difficult time I recently went through when I was required to really look closely at who I am and who I want to be.  I love the definitive-ness of the idea. We are. Period. We exist and that means something. But the provisional nature of it is intriguing as well. Finish the phrase….I am….what? A mother? Flawed? Content with my life. You name it. There are lots of other elements to the piece that are all symbolic to me but not necessarily in a “literary” way.

The tattoo was done by the inimitable Alice Kendall at Infinity Tattoo in Portland, OR.

This one belongs to Maria Jose Montero.

For me it's like a mantra, so I don't forget that I am alive, I exist and I am me.

"I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am."

- Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath Shoes

This tattoo was submitted by Allison, who says:

The tattoo is a drawing of a pair of shoes by Sylvia Plath. It is part of a small collection of her drawings that appears in the back of some paperback editions of "The Bell Jar".

I've had the same copy of the book since high school and always keep it near me.

Drawing from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

Sylvia Plath

"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

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The Bell Jar

From The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

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