“Oh wow!
What do they all mean?”

A common question asked
when people find out
that I am tattooed.
But contrary to popular belief,
tattoos do not have to mean anything.
A few of mine have meanings;
the banana for my dad
(his favourite fruit),
the shaking hands for my brother
(shaking hands traditionally means trust),
the flowers for my miscarriages,
the flame and paper aeroplane.
The rest are just ones I found cute
or aesthetically pleasing.

That being said,
I tend to get tattoos
when I am struggling
with change
or feeling out of control.
The pain grounds me,
keeps me tethered to reality,
a socially acceptable form
of self-harm.
The finished tattoo
reminds me that
this is my body
and I will decorate it
as I see fit.