he shows her

his new tattoos: three dots

under his left eye

and in the crease

of his elbow, silky skin

pierced, filled,

and on his inner wrist:

a scar like a mouth

the blood like spilled ink

(the spilt milk —

palm held to the searing

cast iron pan

greased with bacon,

eggs with fluttery edges thrown

to the door)

three dots like sharp pops

from the intersection

like buttons to press

her fingers to

like tears

like little kisses


The three dots is a common prison tattoo.

Arlene Naganawa is our Poet in Residence for December.

Previously: "When You Are Old and Full of Sleep", "Word Medicine", "Red", and "The Heart".