This is part of my ongoing 9Words Poetry project. I take a Major Arcana (I’m working through them in order). I pull nine words from that card then create a poem.
The poem isn’t meant to be an interpretation so much as an experience for me. This one was.. well, today marks the eleventh year since my beloved Mama left for her own journey with Death. So when I decided I would “just write a poem and get the post over with,” you can imagine the gobsmacked look on my face when I saw what card I was at in the list.
Yes, Universe, I hear You. Loud and Clear
The 9Words: King Child horse forward uncaring Gold Blue White Armor
Death’s Armor
They say you come riding a pale horse.
That you are uncaring, unspeaking, cold.
They say you are unavoidable in passing.
They say a lot but do they know?
You come for the king.
You come for the child.
You come for the mother.
You come for them all.
They say a lot but do they know?
Gold can’t buy you.
Black or white doesn’t sway you.
Blue doesn’t soothe you.
And I have to wonder if they know?
You wear the armor.
You ride the horse.
You carry the banner.
Not, as they say, because you conquer all,
But because you must protect your own heart.
That you wear the armor because you must.
Death rides a pale horse.
Not uncaring.
Not unseeing.
Death rides a pale horse.
Collecting debts owed.
For lives spent, well or not.
In your wake you leave change.
How those left, spend it?
That’s up to them.
Stephanie Arwen Lynch
For Marilu 11/18/39-06/19/2002
6/19/2013
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? 
In my ongoing effort to write a poem for each of the major arcana, I have the Strength card in front of me. This is from the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot. Card 8 in this deck is the classic scene of the woman taming the lion. For me this is not an external struggle so much as an internal one. I see it as the external manifestation of our personal struggles with our own shadow selves.
Justice can be a harsh card if you know you are in the wrong. Sitting on his throne, he stares at you as if he knows every thing you’ve done right or wrong.
The Chariot represents mastery in the Major Arcana. Here we learn the lesson that we must drive our own lives if we are to be truly in charge. Some would tell you that the Charioteer is a ruthless warrior, but consider something if you will. 
