20 Moving Tattoos Inspired by Poets and Poetry That Marry Verse and Ink

The world of poetry is a wellspring of profound emotion, vivid imagery, and timeless wisdom. The words of poets have the power to move us deeply, resonating with our experiences and emotions in ways that are both personal and universal. It’s no surprise, then, that these beautiful verses often inspire other forms of art, including tattoos.

In this post, we’ll explore a collection of tattoos that pay homage to both famous poets and their evocative works. These artful pieces range from subtle line art inspired by poignant verses to intricate portraits of beloved poets. Whether you’re a tattoo enthusiast, a poetry lover, or both, prepare to be moved by the creative fusion of ink and verse in these stunning designs. Let’s embark on this journey where words leave the page to become a part of one’s skin and soul.

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson was an American poet whose profound and innovative work has left a lasting impact on the world of literature. Despite living much of her life in relative seclusion, her poetry has resonated with readers far and wide. This tattoo is a love letter to the poet.

Poe Though

The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe scarred a whole generation of young people who were made to read it in class. The classic spooky poem features “nevermore” repeatedly to build dread and suspense. This tattoo design incredibly combines the actual word, a raven’s claw, and a heart in its grip. We love the smokey purple background that makes the entire design pop.

On Earth…

Ocean Vuong is an incredible emerging literary voice. His collection of poetry Night Sky with Exit Wounds will change you. Further, his recently released novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, is equally impressive. This traditional style tattoo is more than just a quote, it tells you so much about the person’s connection to these powerful works.

Lady Lazarus

Sylvia Plath is one of the most beloved American writers and her influence is undeniable. This woman got Sylvia Plath’s autograph tattooed on her wrist. This simple tattoo is an incredible nod to a pioneering poet.

More Plath

This tattoo of a fig is a reference to Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. Plath wrote: “I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.”

From Rupi Kaur

Canadian poet author, and illustrator .Rupi Kaur is of Punjabi descent, known worldwide for her thought-provoking poetry. She catapulted to fame with her self-published debut collection, “milk and honey,” which she wrote and illustrated as a 21-year-old university student. In this design we find a few of her poignant lines.

Sappho

Sappho, born around 615 BC on the Greek island of Lesbos, is considered one of the greatest poets of antiquity. Often referred to as “the Poetess,” Sappho’s work was widely celebrated for its first-person narrative, a significant innovation in the form of poetry at the time. She composed around 10,000 lines, primarily focusing on themes of love and devotion. She is found here illustrated to look like a statue.

Hold Your Own

“This whole thing thrives on us feeling always incomplete.
And it is why we will search for happiness in whatever thing it is we crave in the moment.
And it is why we can never really find it there.
It is why you will sit there with the lover that you fought for.
In the car you sweated years to buy.
Wearing the ring you dreamed of all your life.
And some part of you will still be unsure that this is what you really want.
Stop craving.
Hold your own.” – Kae Tempest

This wavy distortion-heavy designs captures one of the poet’s most inspiring lines.

Joy Is Coming

This circular tattoo is inspired by To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall by Hannah Hodgson. We love the shape of this one and the understated type.

Cool Concept

The artist who completed this design explained that it was based on Pablo Neruda‘s line of poetry: “why do trees conceal the splendor of their roots?” Beautiful, right?

Freak of Nature

“Tomorrow when the farm boys find this
freak of nature, they will wrap his body
in newspaper and carry him to the museum.
But tonight he is alive and in the north
field with his mother. It is a perfect
summer evening: the moon rising over
the orchard, the wind in the grass. And
as he stares into the sky, there are
twice as many stars as usual.”
– Two Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin

This is, by far, the most popular poetry tattoo out there. We saw it countless times. It’s a great idea but if you go down this road, know that you will be in very good company.

Edgar Allen Pez

We saw a lot of Edgar Allen Poe portrait tattoos but only one Edgar Allen Pez one. Feel free to have fun with your poetry tattoos and explore your whimsical side. More often than not, the weirder, the better.

An Ode to Reading Poetry

We saw a lot of tattoos referencing a specific poet or poem but not as many about the concept of poetry as a whole. This tattoo of a hand in a book solves that problem.

No Feeling Is Final

Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke‘s Go to the Limits of Your Longing contains the breathtaking words:

“Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
Don’t let yourself lose me.”

RELATED: 36 Literary Tattoos Any Bookworm Will Love

IF

Rudyard Kipling is esteemed for his narrative poetry and short stories, the most famous of which include The Jungle Book and Kim. His tales and poems often celebrated British imperialism, encapsulating his colonial experiences. We find the poem “If-” tattooed into the shape of the letters I and F here. A clever idea!

Persian Poem

The artist who shared this gorgeous tattoo explained that it is Persian poetry. They did not allude to the poet but we thought it was so pretty we would share it with you.

ee cummings

ee cummings was an American poet renowned for his radical experimentation with form, punctuation, spelling, and syntax. As one of the most innovative poets of his time, Cummings abandoned traditional techniques to create a distinct personal style, often characterized by idiomatic, conversational verse

Lonely as a Cloud

“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” – William Wordsworth

For your poetry tattoo, if you can find a poem with imagery baked-in, that’s the golden ticket. This sparkling cloud perfectly mirrors the text from the poem.

Anne Sexton

Anne Sexton was an American poet renowned for her deeply personal, confessional verse. Raised in Massachusetts, Sexton emerged as one of the most popular poets of mid-20th century America. We find a stylized portrait of her in this example.

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Box Full of Darkness

“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.” – Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver’s work, characterized by its careful observation of the natural world, won her significant acclaim, including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Fans of the poet are often nature-lovers and those enjoy themes like transformation and impermanence. This tattoo is the perfect visualization for the above line.

As we conclude our journey through poetry tattoos, we hope you’ve been moved by the profound connection between ink and verse. These tattoos are more than just body art; they’re a testament to the enduring power of poetry and its ability to touch our lives in deeply personal ways. Whether you’re contemplating your next tattoo or simply appreciate the intersection of these two art forms, remember that both poetry and tattoos speak to the human experience in their own unique language. May the beauty of these poetic tattoos inspire you to continue exploring the boundless realms of self-expression. Happy tattooing!

For even more tattoo goodness, keep reading. We’ve got our favorite book tattoos to share with you!

Micro Book Tattoo with Quill

Micro tattoos are one of the biggest trends today with folks favoring tiny, photorealistic designs like this book tattoo of a stack of books and a quill pen. There is so much detail in this shrunken-down design.

Oh, Alice

We find an exciting Alice in Wonderland tattoo here with a little book included. This is truly a work of art. There are so many tiny details to the faces on the playing cards to the way the kettle and teacup seem to gleam with light.

Flowers Mark the Spot

One of the most popular types of book tattoos is to have the book open with flowers springing from inside of it. Of all the types of book tattoo designs we found, we saw it replicated again and again. It’s not surprising. It’s a beautiful idea that celebrates our natural world as well as our imagined ones.

Chrysanthemum In a Book

Here’s another example of the flower book tattoos. A chrysanthemum flower looks so dramatic in between those pages. For a more impactful design, go for a big bloom like this over several smaller ones.

A Flower Runs Through Them

In this book tattoo, we find a different sort of design but one that’s not too terribly different from the previous two. A flower appears to grow through three books and emerge in an opened one. It offers more fantasy than the previous two book tattoos with flowers and could be a good fit for you.

The Checklist

Do you need a few things to set you up for an excellent evening spent a home? For this person, it’s a cup of tea, a good book, and their cat. How fun is this! We could also see this working with a glass of wine and any pet out there.

She’s In a Different World

We find a female character here immersed in a book that appears to be transporting her to space. Celestial bodies like planets and stars sparkle around the character’s head. It’s simple yet effective at getting the point across.

Under Water

Okay! This is one of the more inexplicable book tattoos on the list. We find some hands emerging from underwater to hold open a book. We have no clue what is going on here but we love people that go for unconventional designs for their tattoos. Dance to the beat of your own song, folks.

The Reading Room

We find a little reading nook in this design that finds a bookshelf stacked with books and plants. Does this look like the perfect spot to curl up with a good read or what? This is a rather ambitious design but if you are interested in something similar you could totally scale this down.

A Cute One

If you are not married to the idea of a black tattoo, we encourage you to request colorful inks. They often result in more playful designs that feel more whimsical and less defined. This is just adorable.

A Mini Lewis Carrol Book Tattoo

How handsome is this tiny book? It really is a showcase of talent from the tattoo artist who managed to decorate the face of the book with the tiniest letters you ever will see. If you have a favorite book of all time, consider getting a stylized cover designed for it to make for a great book tattoo.

Dreamy Watercolor

Watercolor tattoos are wildly popular today and the trend shows no sign of slowing. We find a swirl of pink, purple, and blue seeming to escape from the open book. If you want a book tattoo that expresses the magic of reading, something in this style could be a real winner for you.

Monkey Business

The award for cutest book tattoo goes to this little monkey sitting on a stack of books, reading one about bananas. It’s playful and childlike and perfect for anyone who loves wildlife. We can’t get over the character’s little glasses!

Reading by Candlelight

This book tattoo is lodged in between some existing ones but you should see a candle and three books are part of the same design. Reading by candlelight is not recommended but we love the romantic notion behind this design.

Butterfly Escape

Anything flying out of books is a go when it comes to book tattoos. Butterflies are no exception! You could pick your favorite creature to emerge from your book or you could choose a book with a particular character or event that you would like to fall out of the open pages of your book tattoo.

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Romance

We found this book tattoo to be particularly romantic with its picturesque scenes inside. On the left, we find a snowy Christmas scene. Opposite, there is a lovely setting sun over the sea. Flowers scattered around add beauty and a touch of sweetness to the overall look.

A Straightforward Stack

Do you love traditional tattooing? If so, a simple stack of books like this should appeal to you. Traditional tattoos favor bold lines and colors that create simple shapes. You do not need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to your tattoo. Go with a classic and you will have a timeless piece.

Seeing Stars

In this scene, we find a scattering of books littered with black and gold stars. They appear to be leading to a window showcasing a night scene. This was a very unique design that really will have you seeing stars.

The Book Portal

Books can transport us to different worlds so it should come as no surprise that many book tattoos try and express that sentiment. This one is an open book with a portal inside. We think it’s an absolute blast and a clever idea.

A Sense of Humor

“Why You Overthinking? Vol. 9” this book says. It’s a funny book tattoo that anyone with a bit of anxiety can appreciate. Have fun with your design and be sure to inject some humor if you’re not taking yourself too seriously.

A Gothic Stack

A handsome raven sits on top of this darkly tattooed stack of books for a moody and gothic tattoo. The candle on top is a great addition. If you are a fan of horror and gothic horror, something similar to this could be a celebration of the genre you love reading most.

Judge This Book By Its Cover

This flying book tattoo comes with one of the coolest covers of any tattoo on this list. The artist has borrowed design elements from traditional tattooing to create something completely new and fresh.

Getting Wild

Here is a really fun that imagines nature taking over a stack of books. A cute frog, some mushrooms, a snail, and other elements all work in harmony to tell this design’s story. What a beautiful idea!

On Fire

We’re not fans of burning books but we did find this flaming book tattoo to be pretty great. It’s very straightforward without a whole lot of bells and whistles to speak of. We imagine it is likely part of the artist’s flash portfolio.

Dive Right In

Here’s a book tattoo that’s all about diving right into that book. We find a retro swimmer tattooed beautifully with contrasting reds and greens. This style is considered neo-traditional because there are design features that appear to come from traditional tattooing but they are married to newer techniques for a great mix of old and new.

The Fantasy

Here’s one of our favorite book tattoos on this list. Botanicals and books are the stars of this one. We really enjoyed the vivid color of the flowers contrasted by the blue clouds that seem to wrap around the main character. Find yourself an artist with an eye for the spectacular and you will walk away with an incredible design.

Emerge

Similar to the diver book tattoo, this one is doing the reverse. We find a character from the book emerging from it as if they were climbing out of a swimming pool. It’s evocative and visually arresting.

A Light Touch

This book tattoo features some of the sharpest lines of any tattoo on this list. We also think this is likely modeled after those single-line tattoos that are so hot right now. It’s a minimalist take with little extra and that’s what makes it really stand out.

The Scholar

We couldn’t do a tattoo list without at least one skull. The artist shared that the concept here was a “scholar skull.” It’s an interesting idea if not a bit morbid. If you’re in it for the drama, consider popping a skull in your design for something that is wickedly special.

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The Book Angel

How about this offbeat book tattoo? A stack of books appears to be manipulated by a little cherub that has been tattooed in pale blue ink. You won’t find another design like this and that’s what makes it so very special. Being weird pays, folks!