Tattoo by Ted Kooser

Analyze Ted Kooser's 'Tattoo' poem: explore figurative language, character, and mood.

Listen to this poem by the poet Ted Kooser. Here is the text of the poem> Tattoo by Ted KooserWhat once was meant to be a statement—a dripping dagger held in the fistof a shuddering heart—is now just a bruiseon a bony old shoulder, the spotwhere vanity once punched him hardand the ache lingered on. He looks likesomeone you had to reckon with,strong as a stallion, fast and ornery,but on this chilly morning, as he walksbetween the tables at a yard salewith the sleeves of his tight black T-shirtrolled up to show us who he was,he is only another old man, picking upbroken tools and putting them back,his heart gone soft and blue with stories. In the first three lines, what kind of tattoo does the man have? Mom A dripping dagger in a heart. The flag. According to line 3, what has happened to the tattoo over time? "He looks like someone you had to reckon with". What does this reveal about the man? Which line from the poem matches this image? Fill in the blanks. Later in the poem, the poet describes the man on a chilly morning at a yard sale. The man is older now. He is wearing a black tee-shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His tattoo is visible. he picks up and puts down broken tools. His heart has gone soft and blue- he has gotten older and is no longer the wild man of years ago. Fill in the table below. Alliteration Simile Personification "dripping dagger" "strong as a stallion" "Vanity once punched him hard" Could you say that this poem is about getting older? How would you describe the mood of the poem? What is your response to this poem?