they tattooed 'know thyself'
to their forearms,
a constant reminder
that wisdom
begins with the knowledge
of who we are
at our core
perhaps it was necessary
as we all seem
to be more distracted
by the persistent screens
of our lives
what happens
when they wear sleeves,
does the reminder become
'out of sight, out of mind'
or is the tattoo artist
our greatest philosopher,
embedding the idea within
with each jab
of their needle
Category: Poetry
Playing the Victim
in these darker days
too often have I looked inside,
finding the wounds
of impersonal slights,
I have drawn the hurt
upon myself -
welcoming it with open arms,
wallowing in its pain -
to what end,
who am I
to interpret the world,
turning it into a burden
I feel
I alone
must carry,
I am not
the axis
upon which
the world turns