“tattoo” by gregg shapiro my father won’t talk about the numbers 3-7-8-2-5 between the wrist and elbow blue as blood on his left forearm instead, he spreads himself over me spilling his protection, like acid, until it burns i wear him like a cloak, sweat under the weight there were stories in the lines on his face the nervous blue flash in his eyes his bone-crushing hugs i am drowning in his silence trying to stay afloat on curiosity questions choke me and i swallow hard we don’t breathe the same air speak the same language live in the same universe we are continents, worlds apart i am sorry my life has remained unscathed his scars still bleed, his bruises don’t fade if i could trade places with him i would pad the rest of his days wrap him in gauze and velvet absorb the shocks and treat his wounds i would scrub the numbers from his flesh extinguish the fire and give him back his life identify and evaluate the symbolism used in the poem “tattoo” by gregg shapiro and how it relates to the theme of the poem.