Inspired by the Tarot: Haiku, Part 4

For the final entry in this series of haiku poems, I wrote poems based on cards that Helen chose, and she wrote poems based on cards that I chose. We took turns, starting with my choice of The Tower card from the Crystal Visions Tarot, with haiku written by Helen.

Here are links to _PART 1_, _PART 2_, and _PART 3_ if you’re interested:

The Tower

Crystal Visions Tarot

by Jennifer Galasso

U.S. Games Systems Inc.

Change is in the air

sudden and unexpected

embrace the new start

The Star
Alchemical Renewed
By Robert M. Place 
Hermes Publications

The fountain of life
Nurturing our Higher Self
blood, milk, and water.

The Moon
Fantastical Creatures Tarot
by D.J. Conway and Lisa Hunt
U.S. Games Systems Inc.

Dreams will have their way
the mind speaks many languages
fear has no place here

The Sun
Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
by Mary Hanson-Roberts
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Golden joy, bright light
unharnessed freedom and trust
celebrate your life!

Judgment
Hudes Tarot Deck
by Susan Hudes and A.L. Samul
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Create your tomorrow
evaluate your past now
hear the call to start afresh

The World
Sun and Moon Tarot
by Vanessa Decort
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

The cosmic dancer
unlimited energy
destroys and creates

Inspired by the Tarot: Haiku, Part 3

Our Haiku experiment has taken a new turn. This time, Helen and I each wrote a Haiku for the cards we took turns selecting. Helen’s poems are in green and mine are in purple. Here are links to _PART 1_ and _PART 2_ if you’re interested.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Old English Tarot

by Maggie Kneen

U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Life goes up and down
The motion cannot be stopped --
a balancing act 

Rising to the top,
falling to the lowest point.
Stay centered, my friends.

JUSTICE

Dreaming Way Tarot 

by Rome Choi & Kwon Shina

U.S. Games Systems Inc.

Weigh the facts fairly
No room for indecision
Wield the sword of truth.

Balance is the key
Logic outweighs emotion
Fairness is achieved

THE HANGED MAN

Tarot of Dreams

Ciro Marchetti  & Lee Bursten 

Self Published

Be still in mind, body
take in a different view
life always changes.

Patience is needed
see life from a new angle
a new way forward.

DEATH

The Dragon Tarot

by Nigel Suckling

Illustrated by 

Roger & Linda Garland

Cico Books Ltd.

Change, loss, upheaval
Will you ignore the warning
or be born again?

Death comes to all things
Acceptance is the saviour
Transformation dawns

TEMPERANCE

The Pamela Colman Smith Tarot

of 1909 Aquatic Tarot

Andreas Schröter

Unpublished, not available in print

Blend life’s elements
Moderation is the key
to peace, harmony

Seek a compromise
combining past and present
Create the best mix.

THE DEVIL

Otherworld Tarot

Alison Williams, Sarah Nowell

Schiffer

The red glare of fear
blinds us to our true calling
The puppeteer laughs

Who controls your dance?
Do you like the frenzied tune?
Make the music yours.

_Part 4_

Inspired by the Tarot: Haiku, Part 2

I am pleased to share the next installment in the “Great Haiku Experiment” undertaken by Helen and me. We took turns choosing the deck for each card, then wrote alternate lines of the Haiku. To read the first set of poems, click HERE.

Ghost Tarot with artwork
by Davide Corsi (Lo Scarabeo)

THE HIEROPHANT

In darkness, faith shines, 

a comfort in times of need.

We walk towards the light.

Wonderland Tarot by Christopher & Morgana Abbey

Artwork by Morgana Abbey

Published by U.S. Games Systems Inc.

THE LOVERS

Love, your choice to make.

Look both ways before you choose.

Life can change for you.

Tarot of the Mystic Spiral by Giovanni Pelosini

Artwork by Giuseppe Palumbo (Lo Scarabeo)

THE CHARIOT

On the road of life,

draw on courage and your strength.

Steer a steady course.

Tarot Bella

Unfinished deck by Helen Howell

STRENGTH

Face the lion within,

your touch gentle, your voice firm

a quiet strength prevails

Morgan-Greer Tarot

illustrated by Bill Greer

(U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

THE HERMIT

Hold high the lantern.

The path to enlightenment 

is clear to you now.

_Part 3_

_Part 4_

Inspired by the Tarot: Haiku, Part 1

Once upon a time, when the earth was young, my best friend I used to write haikus “together,” meaning that one of us would write the first and third lines (5 syllables each) and the other would write the middle line (7 syllables).

Having noticed some of Helen’s wonderful haiku poems on her blog _Writing My Words_, I approached her about doing something similar based on the Major Arcana of the Tarot.

Here are the first five cards. We took turns choosing the deck and writing the alternate lines. I hope you enjoy these Tarot-inspired haikus.

THE FOOL

Deviant Moon Tarot by Patrick Valenza
 (U. S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Seize the moment now 

Dancing, splashing, leaping – now!

The adventure starts.

THE MAGICIAN

Chrysalis Tarot : Paintings by Holly Sierra, 
Written by Toney Brooks (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Ravens -- magic, dark

jewels within your mind

Above and Below.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS

The Gendron Tarot by Melanie Gendron 
(U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Mysteries, secrets

you have the key to unlock

the door to a dream.

THE EMPRESS

The DruidCraft Tarot by Philip and Stephanie Carr Gomm, 
Illustrations by Will Worthington (Eddison Sadd Editions)

Potential fulfilled

Giving birth to the Future

The way forward clear.

THE EMPEROR

Napo Tarot Deck. Created by Betty Lopez, 
Designed by Napo (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Past forms the future

In order as he commands.

Be strong in your choice.

_Part 2_

_Part 3_

_Part 4_

Haiku Tarot Exercise

I am enjoying doing some of the activities in Andy Matzner's Tarot Activity Book (read my review HERE), so I thought I'd share one with you. Here is how it's done:

"Process: Randomly pick a card from your deck. Your goal is to write a haiku based on the card you have chosen. Study it. See what comes to mind as you notice its details. What impression does the card make on you? What kind of energy is emanating from the card? What thoughts does the card provoke? How does it make you feel? Use your response to the card as the inspiration for your haiku."

I started to write haiku in elementary school, when I first learned about this very short form of Japanese poetry. Sometimes my best friend and I would write haiku together, one of us writing two lines and the other writing one line -- neither of us knowing what the other person was writing. The results were... odd. But great fun!

To learn more about writing haiku, check out this web site: How to Write a Haiku Poem.

According to that site, "using 5-7-5 [syllables] is no longer considered to be the rule for haiku in English, although it is still taught that way to children in school" (that's how I learned it way back when). These days, English haiku tends to be 10 to 14 syllables long. An example is given of a haiku by Jack Kerouac with the structure 4-3-3.

For this exercise I am using The Fairytale Tarot by Karen Mahony, illustrated by Alex Ukolov (Magic Realist Press).

My card is the FOUR OF WANDS.

The Fairytale Tarot (Magic Realist Press)

In the Fairytale Tarot, this card is associated with the story of The Musicians of Bremen, which happens to be one of my very favorite Grimm fairytales (and believe me, I've read them all). If you would like to read the story, you can do so at this link: The Bremen Town Musicians.

For my haiku, I am incorporating both the fairytale and the traditional meaning of the Four of Wands. So here you go. I hope you enjoy!

Light in the darkness
A joyful noise
Travels far.