5 Awesome Literary Tattoos

Sticks and Stones...

Sticks and Stones

You know how the saying goes. It may sound good to the ears, but we all know too well the power of words.

Physical wounds will heal and may not even leave scars. The wounds that some words cause may haunt you for the rest of your life.

On the upside, the power of words can uplift like nothing else. Chosen wisely, words can empower us, inspire us to go beyond our limits. 

If you love words like I do, and you are considering getting inked, then a literary tattoo might be the best choice. If you are likely to have your nose buried in between the pages of a book most of the time, then the chances are that you have a favorite quote or two that you live your life by. What better tattoo to get than those literary lines then?

If you're still looking for some inspiration - a tattoo, after all, is no small matter - here are some literary tattoos that I, myself, would not mind seeing every day on my skin.

Image via downing.amanda

Fail Better

On Failing

"Try again.

Fail again.

Fail better."

That's from Samuel Beckett's Westward Ho, and what better lines to remind you to never give up? Life is full of failures, and we sometimes need to be reminded that what matters most is getting back up after falling down.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Tattoo image from Tattoo Lit

On Writing

"Write in recollection and amazement for yourself."

Jack Kerouac is one of the most celebrated writers of our time, and if you read that quote, it is easy to see why. Writers encounter downtimes on a regular basis. Sometimes, it becomes a chore, especially if you do it to make ends meet. Lines like these remind us of the beauty of writing and why we do it in the first place.

Source: Kelly Love

I Know Better

"I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better."

Another inspiring literary tattoo, this time showcasing the words of Maya Angelou. You know how for some of us, it is easier to forgive other people? When it comes to berating ourselves over and over again for past mistakes, it is another story. 

If you have made mistakes in the past - who hasn't? - and you can't seem to let go, maybe this literary tattoo can help you move on.

Source: Contrariwise

i carry your heart

"i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)"

The first stanza of e.e. cummings's "i carry your heart" is one of the most romantic lines I have ever read. Never mind his unique style of poetry, these words are beautiful no matter how they are presented. For all you romantics out there, it would be hard to find a more appropriate literary tattoo, wouldn't it?

Source: Contrariwise

Fear

This line comes from the Litany Against Fear, an incantation found in one of the best works of science fiction in my book: Dune by Frank Herbert. 

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

That's the litany, and to be honest, I have been toying with the idea of getting this tattooed on my upper arm. Can you find a more empowering literary tattoo than this?

Source: The War is Over on Tumblr

More on Literary Tattoos

Comments

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55 leaves
1048 forum posts
Bonita on said:
What an interesting leaf! I'm a word junkie, but I can't think of any words that I like well enough to see them on my body for the rest of my life. But if I was going to get a tattoo it would definitely be of meaningful words. I like the way you think!
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4 leaves
0 forum posts
As a true lover of the written word, this may be one of the only considerations for a tattoo for me. It's a pretty cool concept, if it is still pertinent to your life philosphies twenty-five years from now. Thanks for the modern take on classic lit!
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15 leaves
645 forum posts
jadeink on said:
A nice leaf.

I do like words - and I like illustrated women even more - but I find inked pics much more appealing than word tats.

To me, the best "literary" representation via a tat is simply a "quill pen." These are usually mistaken to be a "feather" and most modern "experts" try to link all of them to Native American culture, when, in fact, the quill tat has been the mark of writers for centuries.

At one point, when tiny Hawaii was a kingdom, there were nearly 2K newspapers being published in "paradise." Many hundreds of Native Hawaiians bore the mark of the quill on their arms. [Both the missionaries and the whalers brought the Brit tradition with them.]

AJW was adorned with much great ink. My fave was one of her earliest; the quill on her left forearm. She also had some words, but I found them slightly less charming; tho, they were meaningful to her and have become very important to her fans.

The issue of "ink remorse" is a real one. It will present an exploding biz opportunity in the coming years. Prior to her departure, AJW was planning to alter or remove the tat on her left chest; a pocket with her former husband's name above it. It is widely believed that she was editing drawings of a "lioness" and looking for an artist that could turn the out of favor ink into the logo of her record company: Lioness Records.

Numerous Jewish scholars have speculated that the cremation of AJW was linked to her tattoos. The "defacement" of the body is frowned upon in the orthodoxy. While it will be some time before the "truth" will be confirmed, it is unlikely - tho possible - that the ink played a role in the family decision. AJW's grandmother - inked on AJW's right arm and labeled "Cynthia" - was also cremated. Cynthia was not known to be inked. [It is now believed that some of the ashes of the pair were mixed together and broadcast in a "favorite location" of the duo.]

For folks who like ink, here is a likkle FB album with all of AJW's ink displayed; starting with the "quill," - a real "literary" tat - which continues to be called an "eagle feather" by those who know not the truth.

http://tinyurl.com/ckc6ua7

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57 leaves
257 forum posts
beckyf on said:
I'd never get a tattoo--OUCH!--but I enjoyed your leaf. :)

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