"First Poem For You" by Kim Addonizio

Maybe she is really scared to show her love outright, because in the dark or not she is still showing it. The fact that she is in the dark could possibly signify that she is confused about their relationship. She seems happy to know that the tattoos will last forever, but scared to know if their relationship will soon become filled with pain and bitterness, instead of the "real love" for him she is feeling right now. For her, the tattoos seem to be be easier and less frightening than the man, for they will never change, but the love for her could, for better or worse. In a way this poem shows that the author is unsure of the permanence between the two of them.