A tattoo is only as permanent as the flesh it's etched upon
Epidermis only as permanent as the edge of the upper echelon
Essence gone when foundations flounder
Constitution change with death of ancient founders

Subdermal, internalized the external
On the parchment, parched to drink something eternal
Though fire dies like fireflies
Scrawled on bald-skin
Idealized and realized as passing like flashing glows from within

Puncturing the pallid papyrus tapestry
Prick by prick, tertiary iris mastery
Grinding at the gypsum
Lining the vellum victim
With elaborate immaculate dictum
animate advocate prism
Adamant infliction
Of shaded chromatism

Complexion, complex in polychromasia
Coloring displays of
Soil, terrain,
Opening like crevasses
Of canvas masses
Tinted with passes
Of piercing passing jabs
And fiercely massive stabs
Crashing waves of rainbows

Like vapor, from solid to dust
Saviors, flavors of cherry reds and oranges, tossed
Yellow mellows and green vines
Minor Chords like blue notes,
Major's swords of violet violence coats
The integument with colorant development

Pigment artificial
Art, official the second the needle penetrates
Ruby radiance emanates
Treasure measured by the pleasure felt inside
The moment they meet the eye
Tangerine tourmaline
Smashed on topaz saffron
Emerald elemental
Sapphire satire
Amethyst artistry,in shades of grey matter,
Artfully, the ink spellunking through part of me
Both in the dark, yet lightly
Parted but only to be replaced
By more dust to fill the vacuum left in its wake
Short and finite stories of Illustrated Man
Impart to the mind's eye, cells of painted sand
Crescent of the sabre sets
On needles painting palettes like crayon sets
Like phonographs or bayonets
Waxing full moon, days reflect
In the depression of the night
Graves inscribed between expressions of light
Gravestones dyed the veneer outside
Doors scribed in pores
I pore this eye over what has been poured
Ink bored like water into cavern floors
Sodium bicarbonate, thru to the core

Hallowed out until quakes fall it down
And undermine the undermine
Under my crust
Metal shines until gripped by rust
Occupation to bring about the occupation
Of illustration on these golems emblazoned
til they succumb to final oxidation
Building paper dolls of contemplation
Food for bookworms, food for thought
Yorick took words of kings
And when ingested are inject into pleasant peasant skin