The Tattooed Poets Project: Chenelle Milford

Our tattooed poet today is Chenelle Milford.

In a first here at the Tattooed Poets Project (and I believe Tattoosday, as well), our photo was taken on the tattooed individual's wedding day:


There's two tattoos visible in this photo: the nautical star and, if you look closely, some letters running vertically on the left side of Chenelle's back.

The nautical star is a popular "classic" tattoo design as it originates in the culture of sailors, who brought the art of tattooing to the attention of European and North American society. Chenelle notes more specifically that the star on her neck represents her home, Northern California and that"it means that I can always find my way home, like a sailor on the open sea".

Chenelle notes that

"My most meaningful tattoo (although not necessarily the most photogenic) is [on] the shoulder... that reads OLAE 08.


My best friend had, on her right shoulder, SUMTS 09. When we would stand together, you could read back and forth across the shoulders, and the letters would spell SOULMATES. She died on May 22nd, 2009, in a car wreck at 25 years old, so I am grateful to have that memory of her."

Both tattoos were done at Ink Wizard Tattoos, in Griffin, Georgia. She credits an artist named Mike Stout with the nautical star and Gary Hall with the OLAE tattoo.

Please be sure to head over to BillyBlog to check out Chenelle's poem "little Red Riding Hood" here.

Chenelle C. Milford, a native Californian and poet, is the manager, web-designer, consultant, all-around aficionado, and archivist of the Joe Milford Poetry Show. She is the founder and editor of the new literary journal, Scythe. Additionally, she is a film-maker, writer, humanist, and a wonderful wife and mother. Together, Joe and Chenelle Milford are compiling an extensive online sonic archive, a library of archived materials that can be accessed, which share writing and impressive interviews of many of today's established and up-and-coming poets. Some of her work is displayed on New Aesthetic. She now resides in rural Georgia with her husband and two daughters. She is working on college and writing poetry as time permits.

Thanks to Chenelle for her participation in the Tattooed Poets Project!

Anchor Dad Banner in Old School Style Tattoo

Anchor Dad Banner in Old School Style Tattoo

Feminine Tattoos - Things to Consider

Feminine Tattoos - Things to Consider

While anyone considering getting a tattoo needs to do a little planning, women in particular should give some thought not only as to what the tattoo is going to be, but to where on the body it will be. It is important to take location into consideration to get a feminine tattoo that continues to look good over time. Pregnancy and normal aging can cause changes in women's bodies that produce more change in the elasticity of the skin in certain areas than what is typically seen in men. You don't want a nice, pretty, feminine tattoo in a place where it is likely to be on sagging or stretch-marked skin. Not only do potential skin changes make some areas unsuitable, tattoos can draw attention to areas that you might want to be less noticeable at some point in your life. For this reason, I suggest that women consider areas for their tattoos that are not subject to big changes in skin elasticity and tone. The ankle, back of the neck, low back, and shoulder blade areas work well in most situations. Another area where the skin tends to stay relatively firm is the forearms, but this area is more popular for masculine as opposed to feminine tattoos. Although popular locations for tattoos with many women, the belly-button area and the breasts are subject to considerable distortion with the changes that tend to occur with pregnancy and aging. Even the pubic area can be susceptible to loosening of the skin, or some sagging of the lower belly from above, and so these areas might be better to avoid. After you decide where to get the tattoo, the next decision is what to get. The first recommendation is to NEVER have someone tattoo the name of your lover anywhere on your body. No matter how good the relationship is right now, things can change! There are many possibilities for feminine tattoos, so choosing can be challenging. The main thing is to pick something that you really like and not let yourself get talked into something you don't want, because that tattoo will be with you for a very long time. Spend the time to study your options to figure out what you want - there's no need to rush into anything. If you are looking for an image such as a Celtic knot, a flower, or some other picture, simply keep looking until you find something that you really like. If you are considering an Asian letter or some kind of symbol, I recommend that you research it fully to be sure you know what it means. A single reference or a tattoo artist may give you incorrect information, and so instead of a symbol that means "gentle waters", it could very well mean "puddle of urine". Just be sure you know what it is that you are having permanently imprinted on your body.

Rose Tattoo Designs

Rose Tattoo Designs

Red rose body art show life, birth, procreation, death and rebirth. These tattoos are the embodiment of nature and the elements. Flower tattoo designs are popular but the red rose beats them all, especially with women. Its almost as popular with men, since the rose has tremendous spiritual significance in the west. The rose design is considered to be a symbol of true love and has been revered in both, secular and religious context. The rose has many accepted traditional meanings that are applied to the rose body art by association. It has become the ultimate floral symbol on account of its unmatched fragrance and beauty. The red rose can symbolize martyrdom. It's associated with Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Several rose tattoos are worn to honor a deceased loved one too. If you want to get a red rose tattoo, it is important to know the meaning behind the rose colors. A dark red rose stands for unconscious beauty. The red rose is for courage, respect, romance and love. A red rose bud tattoo symbolizes loveliness and purity. Blue roses symbolize impossibility. Coral roses indicate desire. Black rose designs mean death. The white rose tattoo design is a symbol of innocence, reverence, youthfulness and purity. White rose bud tattoos also celebrate the girl-child. The golden or yellow rose tattoo shows achievement or friendship. Black rose with thorns body art design is also very popular. Tattoo artist say, a red rose with thorns reminds the person that beauty does not surface in the absence of adversity and sacrifice. The rose can be flaunted singly, as trailing vine or as a bouquet. Rose body art have been popular in the west for decades. This piece of body art shares the most intriguing history and symbolism. The rose tattoo is a traditional choice and more popular than the hibiscus, daisy, lily or even the orchid tattoos. The lotus body art designs are probably the only ones that can be compared to these designs. Tattoo artists around the world have made an effort to promote the flower tattoo art. The rose tattoo is available in many different shapes and sizes. You can add to the flower design with a heart or fairy or even a butterfly. It can also be combined with a dagger, a tiger, a cross or even a Celtic armband. You can get a rose and barbed wire tattoo done on the shoulder or chest. Whatever you choose, its up to you and what your style is.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Cathryn Cofell

Today's tattooed poet is Cathryn Cofell.

Cathryn prefaced her tattoo by telling me:

"My tiny tattoo pales in comparison to some...Most of my adult life, I've wanted one, but always held back because I either 1) didn't know what I wanted or 2) feared I'd change my mind as soon as it was done (I change my mind as often as a hummingbird's heart beats) or 3) was working for a relatively conservative company."

This last concern is one that everyone should consider when getting a tattoo. Not that Tattoosday is an Ink Advice blog, but companies can legally discriminate (and often do) against tattooed individuals, which is something many people do not think about when getting inked. At the time that Cathryn got her tattoo, she "was working for a credit union with a strict 'no visible tattoos policy' and ... was part of the management team that actually wrote that policy". She does point out that she was out-voted by the anti-tattoo contingency.

So, Cathryn says,

"This was the compromise -- small, discreet, but powerful -- and not so discreet that I had to become a pretzel or strip completely naked to see it for myself or show it to others....


The symbol I finally chose is one that I wore around my neck as a talisman for many years: the Nile River Goddess, Nathor, who represents strength, triumph, success. I was at one of those turning points in my life -- feeling low and falling lower, needing her and those ideals to be more firmly etched in and on me.


She turned my life around that day. I've thought about another since and probably will some day, but see 1, 2 and 3 above and you'll know why I'm still waiting!

The poem that Cathryn sent us, seen here on BillyBlog, "came out on the drive home, scribbled on an old napkin".

Thanks to Cathryn for participating in the Tattooed Poets Project!

Cathryn Cofell is the author of five books, most recently Kamikaze Commotion (Parallel Press). She's received 40+ awards for her poetry and essays which also appear in scads of journals and anthologies. She is a zealous advocate for the arts, having served as founding Chair of the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission, on the board of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, and currently as Chair of the Verse Wisconsin Advisory Board and a pro-arts voice wherever she'll be heard.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Seth Berg

Today's tattooed poet, Seth Berg, is very tattooed. Not only does he say he is "extensively tattooed," he qualifies such a statement: "over 60 sessions under the needle".

He sent several photos, but the most impressive and, from what I can tell, his most special one is this "mammoth beast" of a tattoo (his words, not mine) on his ribcage:


In case you were wondering, this amazing leaf "goes from [his] pelvic bone to [his] armpit and blankets [his] entire ribcage".

The tattoo is an oak leaf, inked in celebration of his son, Oak, who turns 1 on May 8th.


The tattoo was completed in one six-hour session (with only one break for water and a stretch). The artist was Kat Richards from Live Fast Die Young Tattoos in Northeast Minneapolis.

Seth Michael Berg earned his MFA in poetry from Bowling Green State University in 2003 and has since been bouncing around the country teaching, tending bar, sculpting, writing, and occasionally snowshoeing. His poems and fiction can be found in Connecticut Review, Lake Effect, Word Riot, JMWW, 13th Warrior Review, Chiron Review, BlazeVOX, Pike Magazine, Disappearing City Literary Review, and Dark Sky Magazine, among others. Berg lives in Minneapolis with his photographer wife, Ashley, their supernatural son, Oak, and their twelve-year-old English Bulldog, Bob. When not working, Berg can most likely be found indulging his addiction to hot sauce or slowing down somewhere in a forest.

Check out his poem "Aphasia" over on BillyBlog.

American Eagle Tattoos

American Eagle Tattoos

American Eagle Tattoos

American Eagle Tattoos

American Eagle Tattoos