Poetry by Sue Finch

Photo by Agto Nugroho on Unsplash

Barn Owl Tattoo

The deep musk of night was still on her skin
as she shifted her body to morning.
The scent of damp threaded leaves and aging
pine lifted in the air. The shower would help –
sprayed water and soap to begin to
lather the cling of damp forest away.
And if you’ve ever closed your eyes there 
to feel only the gentle smooth of washing
you too will be aware of that moment
when you open them again, think you’re ready
to finish now and towel dry.

But tell me you’ve not stepped out 
wanting to be clean skinned, fresh for the day
only to find your whole body tattooed 
with the head of a barn owl.
Three on each arm. Two askew on your breasts.
And stamped over and over again on
belly and legs.
Tell me you’ve never turned 
to find that print in brown, 
all haunting eyes and hollow
between your shoulder blades, 
tracking your spine.
One on each calf 
strangely purpled by your varicose veins.

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Sue Finch is the author of two poetry collections: Magnifying Glass (2020), and Welcome to the Museum of a Life (2024).  Her poems have appeared in a number of online magazines and have been featured on the poetry podcasts ‘Eat the Storms’ and ‘A Thousand Shades of Green’. She loves the coast, peculiar things, and the scent of ice-cream freezers. ‘Vortex Over Wave’ was published in 2023 and features a selection of her #ElasticBandPhotos and poems for the full moon.