As always some interesting responses. I was especially intrigued by
Alison and the other lady's (sorry I'm on digest here and haven't
access to the name at the moment) choice of texts. Both Blake and
Thomas are poets of the "wild" or bardic type with a penchant for the
irrational and dream-like--so their words would be most apt for the
trunk of the tree of the body. I also liked the idea of pain somehow
clarifying the process of tattooing the image.
What motivates people to tattoo themselves? I have to think that people
who do this have a different conception of body and of language-in-body.
If anyone could suggest titles of studies of this, or of authors who
have ultilized tattooing in their work--thinking here of Kafka, for
instance, I'd greatly appreciate the help. Jesse
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