Missing You
I need you
like lungs need air
and when you
are not there
I ache
for your return
as the ins and outs
of the heart begin
to feel the burn
like holding my breath
and the ache comes
as I do this
to myself
even when
I don’t want to
The Wandering Mind
I think of you
while lying here
back cooled
by concrete
skin shaded
by overhang
and clouds
meandering by
at a slow pace
that makes the world
feel lazy
and languid
I think of you
Prompt: Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided and the cards(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?
Tarot of the Hidden Realm – Right, so… Perfection, for me, is not complete without a flaw. This card is essentially the “flaw” in an otherwise perfect deck that makes the deck truly perfect. (This deck is my “Soul Deck” and thus, perfect for me… not in general.)
I have issues with this Magician. Issues! I tell you. Because when I look at him? I see a porn star. A gigolo. A male whore. That’s what I see, and I’m unable to see anything else. So yes… he’s a man with all the tools (and what tools they are!) and all the skills as well. He’s ready to go, knows what he wants, and is not just well suited for his work but very good at it. Interpreting this card leaves me with an awareness that not everyone’s goals and values are going to align with everyone else’s and sometimes you have to focus on what’s right for you and only you.
Four Twenty Tarot – Classic imagery in a non-classic artform, the Magician in this card is empowered (and a bit baked) and has all the tools they need at their disposal including the four elements that lie on the table and the smoking pipe in her hand as well. Around her sprouts her desires, manifested into reality. I would see this imagery as encouragement to go after that which holds value to you, that you have all you need to accomplish what you want in life if you use your skills, abilities, and tools wisely.
Ema Poetica Tarot – All elements are again accounted for in this card, as is growth in the form of flowers, and the addition of an all-seeing-eye that speaks to me of a greater sense of awareness of the world around them than what is seen in the previous two cards. Not only is the Magician determined and equipped, but they are aware of the world at large and will see hurdles coming and adapt to them to ensure success. I would read this card as a reminder that there is more to success than determination and skill, and that sometimes to obtain one’s goals we must look outside ourselves at what’s going on around us as well.
Mystical Medleys Tarot – Singular focus is the theme I see in this card. There is still growth in the flowers at the Magician’s feet, and all the tools are there for his use. But instead of looking -out- at the world, the eye in this card is the Magician’s head and it is singularly focused upon what he holds and what it can do for him. Where the Ema Poetica card speaks of looking outward, this one speaks of bearing down one’s focus and buckling down for the effort it will take to manifest what they desire.
Abundance Promised
Blossoms fade
for fruit to bare
as leaves flutter
in summer breezes
and as I lie
on grassy earth
and breathe in
the bounty
of summer’s yield
that tickles my nose
and whispers
in my ear
of the promise
of goodness
yet to come
Prompt: “Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?“
Tarot of the Hidden Realm – Eyes open and body relaxed, he hangs inverted and sees the world from this vantage point. As the green grows up around him, coiling in his hair, a butterfly comes to whisper secrets for him to hear. In this imagery I see patience, but also a hint of determination in his features. He does not hang for the heck of it, but with purpose. He is a seeker, and he wants to see this alternate view. Thus, I would see this card as an encouragement to actively seek out new perspectives.
The Stormlight Archive Tarot – In this card the figure is bound by one wrist, pierced by an arrow, and run through by many blades, one of which also pierces through his free hand. He hangs with his head bowed, brought to a knee in his pain, bound through not just ropes or twine, but by punishing pain as well. As the Hanged Man, this card reminds me that the world looks different to everyone. Chronic pain, pessimism, punishment, or misfortune can all create a skewed view of reality. A skewed view we then carry with us as we move through life. I see this card as a reminder that we must pull out the (metaphorical) blades that keep our past wounds open and raw so that we can heal and begin to rise, straighten from our kneel, and see the world from a better perspective.
Darkened Dreams Tarot – In the imagery of this card we see a figure that ascends as if defying gravity, their wrist anchored to a barren tree as they are pulled upward, defying gravity. This imagery speaks to me of astral projection while the colors of the card speak to me of enlightenment. As the body is anchored to a tree, it makes me wonder if it is not the tree’s soul that floats above, seeking new adventures and perspectives that it cannot experience when rooted to the ground. I see this card as an encouragement to explore and try new things, seek out new experiences and allow them to expand one’s perception of the world.
The Kitchen Tarot – In this deck, the Hanged One is named the Kitchen Timer with the added input of the words “miracle worker” etched into the arms of the chef with their third eye open and the other two eyes closed. There is something to be said for the old adage “time heals all wounds” and, in a way, this is true…. -if- you are willing to be open to the healing that time offers us. I would see this card as an encouragement to wait. To wait and to watch, and to keep an open mind. Allow yourself to move past your own first impressions, and look deeper.
Inner Turmoil
Emotions
churn like
storm clouds
as lines
of demarcation
are drawn
in the sky
like sand
bisected
while tears fall
like raindrops
as darkness
and light
play tug-of-war
with the soul
Twisting the Leaf 