Epic of Gilgamesh.” “I do.” “And you tattoo its characters?” “I do.” “Lord, heavens!” Another sigh. “It’s a great poem, though.” Nen nods. “It is—and it has fans from all over the world. You should see the tourists coming to my shop—from Japan, Norway, Canada…The ancient poem unites us across borders, but also, in some strange way, we can never seem to agree on how to interpret it. That’s why it’s been treasured by dictators and dissidents alike, the mighty and the weak. It can be read in multiple ways.”
