Featured Poem: A Temporary Tattoo

The beauty of poetry is that it can illustrate a thousand emotions in only a few stanzas using very few words. A well-written poem can paint a stunning picture and leave the readers feeling the sheer emotion poured into it. One such poem is A Temporary Tattoo. When reading this poem, you can feel the despair and heartbreak that GoSaveSomeoneElse has weaved into their words. I caught up with them to ask a few questions about this beautifully written piece.

Give us a quick summary of A Temporary Tattoo.

A Temporary Tattoo is about being in so much mental pain that you just want to go away ... like, you want to die but not permanently. Just enough for the pain to end.

What is the inspiration behind this poem?

I was suffering ... I was home alone on the bedroom floor and my thoughts were getting to me. All I wanted to do was end it, but not permanently. Like, if my life was a game and I could just reset it.

How did you choose the title for it?

I don’t think I’ve ever really been good choosing titles... but I felt that A Temporary Tattoo fitted due to the fact that a temporary tattoo doesn’t last, like the death in my poem.. if that makes sense.

What was your favourite thing about writing A Temporary Tattoo?

I think my favourite thing about writing the poem was the fact that I knew, after writing it, everything would be fine. I was going to be okay.

Do you have any writing rituals that you follow when writing poems?

Honestly, I only write when I’m depressed... which is a lot. Like everyone, I struggle immensely with mental illness. I find writing is my way of coping, besides art. I don’t have any rituals; I just get a pen and write down whatever comes to mind and hope it makes sense.

What do you look for when reading works by other site members?

When I read works by others, I always take in and admire their techniques and ways they use words. Words have always fascinated me, so to speak. I’ve always wished I had the vocabulary that everyone on here has. Everyone is so talented, and it blows me away the fearlessness and rawness of people spilling their guts for the world to see. I wish I could be like that.

Is there anything you would like to say to anybody who reads your poems?

If you’re reading them, then thank you. If you read them and relate to them then I hope you’re okay, my door is always open, and I’m always here to talk. I hope that through my struggles you know you’re not alone, and it will be okay.

Finally, do you have any other poems that you think people would enjoy?

I never expect anyone to enjoy my poems, or read them for that fact... but I am particularly proud of my poem I Am Me. It’s quite dark, but it’s probably the rawest of my pain. I wrote it over a period of time in one of my darkest moments, and I think it sums up mental illness quite well, for me anyway.

Special thanks to sun spirit and A siren for editing!

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