The Tattooed Poets Project: Michael Henry Lee

Michael Henry Lee is appearing on the Tattooed Poets Project for the fourth consecutive year, and it is always a pleasure to share his work.

First, his tattoo:

Photos by Chris Bodor

Michael tells us how this tattoo came to be:

“Koi have long been revered by the Samurai of Japan for their; courage, virility, and immortal character. Combine that with Joshua 1:9 from the old testament (Have I not commanded you to be strong and of good courage, neither be fearful or of doubting mind, for I the Lord God am with you wherever you go) and you have for me, the ultimate stay-strong tattoo. The composition was designed by [me], and inked by Tattoo Mike: owner of Tattoo Garden on Saint Augustine Beach in Florida. The wave design was done at The Lovely Pearl Studio by owner Krista Monahan in downtown Saint Augustine."

What I particularly love about Michael's contributions every year, aside from his tattoos, is the fact that he is the only poet who sends us haiku:

*

inchworm
little by little
the lengthening day

*

late winter frost
i do the talking
for both of us

*

fire storm
an absence of birdsong
fills the canyon

*

eye of the storm
a clear view of
the path ahead

*

wind shift
fires burning
inside and out

*

The preceding poems first appeared by their respective order in: Icebox, Haiku News and Mainichi Daily News.

You can check out Michael Henry Lee's previous contributions here, here and here.

Michael Henry Lee’s work continues to appear on or in: Frog Pond, Heron’s Nest, Modern Haiku, and Mainichi Daily News among numerous others. Lee is a husband; of over thirty years, father, and grandfather, animal welfare supporter, and bonsai artist. His work in maintenance, for a sprawling condominium complex on Florida’s intra-costal provides an abundance of inspiration for his Japanese haiku and senryu poems.

As always, many thanks to Michael Henry Lee for his contribution and continued support of the Tattooed Poets Project on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2014 Tattoosday. The poems and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission.

If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Chris and His Koi (at the NYC Tattoo Convention)

I'll be honest, koi tattoos are pretty popular, so I don't often post photos of them. But, every once in a while, I see an exceptional one, and feel compelled to share it here.

The photo above is of a stunning koi tattoo, courtesy of a guy named Chris, who I met last week at the NYC Tattoo Convention.

It's an exceptionally well-done piece, with the traditional Japanese carp, or koi, swimming upstream, along with a lotus flower at the bottom and cherry blossoms at the top. Note also the way water and movement is skillfully represented.

Chris credited Jeremy Miller from Screamin' Ink Tattoo in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Note: this is a different Jeremy Miller than the one who competed on the first season of Ink Master.

I usually see something spectacular from the talented crew at Screamin' Ink every year at the convention, all of which can be seen in previous posts with their shop tagged here.

Thanks to Chris for sharing this great sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.