One of my favorites of the Major Arcana is the Wheel of Fortune. Not because of what it represents–although that is delightful, but because of my love of trivia. Are you still with me? Poetry about Tarot leads to trivia. Easy, right?
Sigh. Okay! Okay! Here’s the deal. Most of us use carousel and merry-go-round interchangeably but they are not the same thing. GASP! I know, right? Shocking! I was told that carousels do not have moving parts and merry-go-rounds do…or vice versa. However, I just did some research (internet-only so not exhaustive by any means) and could not back up my fabulous trivia.
Dang it.
Any way! The real secret is in the brass ring. The key to grabbing the ring and winning the free ride is to reach out. So like you have to risk falling off the ride to win another ride. But the prize is worth it. And that, for me, is the motto of the Wheel of Fortune. You have to take risks to obtain the opportunities that the Wheel signifies in your world.
Here is my poem for the Wheel of Fortune. I take nine words from the card and then use them in the resulting poem. Please feel free to do the same. I would love to know your results!
Wheel Snake Back Watch Angel Sphinx Demon Turn Learn
Tarot In 9 Words: The Wheel
of Fortune
I stand here watching
The wheel is turning, turning
Snake slithers down my spine
Frisson of recognition again
The wheel is turning, turning
On my back, on my knees, on, on
I learn Latin to learn pax
Rota means wheel and more
The wheel is turning, turning
We read, we study, we watch
Four of us in your corner
Wanting to help if only
You will make that choice
The wheel is turning, turning
Lions, angels,bulls–oh my
Sphinx riddles me again
Demon waits for the roll
Dice thrown. Baby’s new shoes
Coming on phoenix wings
The wheel is turning, turning
Through angelic minutes
Hope, opportunity, joy
Through demonic hours
Pain, treachery, fear
Through sphinx’s riddles
When up is down is it?
The wheel is turning, turning
So too must I turn
And through it all
The wheel always turning
Waiting for me to seize
Each gift as it rolls by
Knowing in my heart
Minutes, hours all pass
The wheel is turning, turning
Stephanie Arwen Lynch
8/22/2009
Okay Arwen out of the top of my head, using the four elements of the wheel and the fact that life inevitably changes — here’s my little offering to poetry.
Yet The Wheel Keeps on Turning.
Is destiny out of our hands?
yet the wheel keeps on turning.
When we’re down, will we come up
to reach for which we are yearning.
Does man have no hand in his fate?
yet the wheel keeps on turning.
As the Eagle soars above the seas,
are we forever learning.
Man walks and breathes the air,
yet the wheel keeps on turning.
The Bull stands firm upon the Earth,
should we be more discerning.
The fire within burns bright ,
from the Lions roar we must learn,
Life, it never stands still,
as the wheel takes another turn.
.-= Helen´s last blog ..Bohemian Gothic – Justice =-.
Oh Helen, I like this a lot! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this. I live how you wove the four corners/elements into your poem. 🙂
Thanks Arwen, also its about how life changes, and we maybe have to take a different view of it in order to learn how not to fall off that wheel.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to stretch myself in a different direction as I rarely write serious poetry.
.-= Helen´s last blog ..Bohemian Gothic – Justice =-.
You have such a creative way of looking at the tarot. Another cool post! I’m no poet, so I’ll refrain from writing something. I’ll just enjoy your poem. 🙂
Beautiful! Is there anything you can’t do? The lady who wears many hats indeed. I particularly love the last stance. Thank you for sharing this thoughtful treasure with us.
.-= Lisa Hunt´s last blog ..Never too young (or too old) to learn the tarot =-.
I meant to say stanza…sorry folks…need more coffee. Anyway, lovely. I think you should put together a book of tarot poetry. It’s another way of looking at the tarot that I think would add dimension and beauty to the genre.
.-= Lisa Hunt´s last blog ..Never too young (or too old) to learn the tarot =-.