Magnified by
High school,
Your body is a
Naked landscape,
Untamed rivulets of hormones
Pitch into gullies of
Rebellion
Frostbitten by teenage angst.
Sometimes, the weakened dams of reason
And weekends
Cannot withstand
Spontaneous
Floods of individuality.
They fracture, leaking inspiration
Onto the surface of bare skin
Leaving
Invisible blueprints for calligraphy
And cartoon characters
That can be made permanent
With a steady hand
Wielding black ink
Away from disapproving eyes.
Forever stain impulsiveness
Onto virgin flesh
In hidden locations
That for show,
Will only be displayed to friends at parties
To prove how mature you are.
Reveal these marks of adolescence to your parents
Only when you’ve turned 18.