Second Night

stand in the light
                              for my son david

your first tattoo, a birthday gift from your wife, circles your ankle but later on you discover tattoo artists who inscribe their art on your body—in time indonesian artists hand tap ancient motifs on your arms and legs, pointillism designs spread on your back —each motif carries a spiritual meaning 

you wear a dzi bead from tibet and tell me that it holds healing powers or so you heard from a buddhist monk who believed that the stone would keep the wearer safe

was there a time frame, did you use up its potency