bad tattoo

my friend finally did it 

showed me her 'bad' tattoo

the one that she's embarrassed to have

i couldn't make it out

have no idea what the tattoo

represents or is supposed to be

& yet i told her of my 'bad' tattoo

the one on my ankle that was inked

by my brother when i was 16

with sewing needle thread & india ink

was supposed to be a skull but instead is a blob of blue ink

& how it is my favorite of my tattoos

because that is the one that is most artless

that art is more than the finished product

made by great genius or even competency

for it is in the actions itself 

the scars left over from the thrilling

being of life & how we all bear 

some scars that living on earth

will give us for it is the beauty & horror 

of everything we can receive 

& everything we can give