TATTOOS

A Poem

Tattoos were once a sign of rebellion

and were worn by the seediest of people

such as drunken sailors and biker gangs

But now anyone and everyone sports a tattoo

from schoolteachers to 80-year-old grandmas

Like many other things in our conformist society

what was once considered dirty and rebellious

has now become safe and socially acceptable

Like how rock music was once considered rebellious

has become harmless, predictable and corporatized 

And whereas tattoos once made someone seem bad

now makes someone seem as bland as everyone else

just like everything else in our conformist society