Prison Tattoos
The Department of Corrections provides training in order to become a card carrying volunteer. Some of that training is delivered through online courses. While in that portal, I noticed a module for Prison Tattoos, not a requirement, but available. It’s such a common form of self expression, it seems to me most of the incarcerated men and women as well as the staff have tats.
In the before times, in our last circle at Columbia River Correctional just prior to the prisons restricting access, we discussed personal scars and tattoos. I don’t recall why we landed on this topic, but I did write a couple of haikus that day. While walking down the street, listening to the crows cawing, stunned by our Covid reality, these words came to me:
CORVID WAYS
Six foot buffer zone
People walking down the street
Shouting good morning
THE TIME BEFORE
With tattoos and scars
We find our stories and share
Beautiful people
One of the women in the theater program at Coffee Creek Correctional showed me a tattoo on her arm and pronounced, “This one I am getting removed.” She explained that it was a white supremacy tattoo and her sister was getting married to a black man. She no longer wanted to carry this sign. She then confided that the first time she’d ever touched the skin of a black person was in our class. We’d choreographed a moment of bonding between characters. I had no idea that it was such a momentous occasion. Afterall, we’re just putting on a play.
Curiosity prevailed and I enrolled in the Prison Tattoos course. It was designed to serve as an informational resource on various prison related tattoos and their meaning, as well as information on identifying common contraband that can be used to build a tattoo gun. The tattoo I particularly liked was a clock without hands, which signifies ‘doing time’, a lot of time.
I believe we all have a need to belong and to express ourselves. I suppose tattoos can play a role in both of those human tendencies. My hope is that we find ways to be inclusive with our distinctions and let love reign.
Humbly yours,
Carla