She wore
her life story
etched vividly
on both sleeves,
vibrant colors
reflecting her
past glories
& heartbreaks.

The flaming-skull
inked on her derriere
was a bit of a mystery
& those multiple piercings
made me a little
squeamish.

But, Ruth was who she was,
& lived her life in the fast lane.
She dealt with the pain
acting like
she was totally insane.
& she wasn't.
Her PhD in nuclear chemistry
told me so.