Rose

   He that dares not grasp the thorn

   Should never crave the rose.

  -Anne Bronte

 The rose was originally looked upon as a masculine flower when it was first grown in ancient Persia. Over the years, the rose was cultivated into many different varieties, and began to become closely associated with femininity and beauty. We can likely thank Greek mythology for this association, as ancient Greeks believed the rose was originally white it color. It turned red when the goddess of love, Aphrodite, pricked herself with one of the thorns and bled on the blossoms.

Nonetheless, variations of the rose tattoo are found on nearly as many men as women. In fact, the rose tattoo was a popular choice amongst sailors in the 40s, who would use the symbol as a way to honor their inamorata they left ashore.

The Victorians assigned different emotional qualities to different color variations, and most people will take these into consideration when choosing a tattoo design. My personal opinion is that these ‘most people’ place too much emphasis on unnecessary symbolism. If you’re into allegory, that’s fantastic- it’s your tattoo after all. You can look up what roses are linked to things like “passionate thoughts,” “modesty,” and “true love,” on your own goddamn time.

   In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness

   of the rose depends upon the name it bears. Things

   are not only what they are. They are, in very

   important respects, what they seem to be.

   - Hubert H. Humphrey