VII
Temperance
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| Temperance Tarot Card Original Design by Kerry O'Connor |
This is a cautious balancing act,
one foot on the bank,
one in the stream.
I feel Earth’s clasp on my ankle,
and hear clay mouths pleading
with me to stay
even as riverine energy tempts me
to give in to its flow.
I dwell in these wetlands, the days between
then and now, but the future
arrives just as water, rising above
the mark of expectations,
while I attempt to cup my intuition
from palm to palm,
or save at least the dregs.
A new installment in my Tarot Suite Collection of poems and illustrations, written for Magaly's final Imaginary Garden prompt 13 Poetic Bits of Kerr, using the line "the future arrives just as water" from my poem, A Painless Day, available in the Objectivity Chapter on my Skylover Blog.
Such rich and intriguing imagery and words - I loved using your line today too
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jae. The words belong to us all, sometimes a fresh look at one's own phrasing from a new perspective can produce new meanings. Thank you for making an arrangement of my words work for you.
Delete“the future
ReplyDeletearrives just as water“
Gosh, I love that.
Also this:
“I attempt to cup my intuition”
The card and poem are both gorgeous.
Thank you! That does seem to be a popular line! Well-chosen by Magaly.
DeleteBalance--or the search for balance--has always been one of my favorite topics. There is so much to be said of the push and pulled of living, of the sinking and rising attached to all things growing between life and death. Balance comes with a bit (or a lot) of fear, I think. With the dread of falling, of being taken... So, I can't help but admire a speaker who keeps going while the mud is quickening, a soul who uses the last of her energy to hold on to the last bit of universe... even if all evidence suggests that the bounty might continue to spill through her fingers.
ReplyDeleteLove the visual art and the words.
Such a wonderful, in-depth reading of the poem, Magaly. I feel like I understand it more clearly myself now - I really love how that happens!
DeleteI’ve been enjoying your Tarot Suite, Kerry, and was amazed to see that we both chose the same line for Magaly’s prompt and both had images of birds! I love the ‘…cautious balancing act, / one foot on the bank, / one in the stream’.
ReplyDeleteWe so often are on the same wave-length, Kim. What a pleasure to share a love of rivers and birds.
Deletebut the future arrives just as water, rising above the mark of expectations." Those lines resonate deeply with me. The future is as malleable as water.
DeleteThank you, Toni.
DeleteThis is exquisitely drawn, Kerry!❤️ I love the use of colors in the Tarot card which portray beautifully the act of restoring balance, patience and moderation in life. Especially resonate with; "I dwell in these wetlands, the days between then and now, but the future arrives just as water, rising above the mark of expectations."❤️
ReplyDeleteTemperance is all about finding the balance between head and heart. I am pleased you like this one, Sanaa. Temperance is also aligned with Sagittarius.
Delete~~ cupping intuition from hand to hand ~~~ an amazing visual, Kerry.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that image worked, Helen. I was trying not to be too wordy in conveying the main idea.
DeleteHow well your words illustrated this poem so well Kerry. Poets are so lucky to be able to use words to descrribe ideas and paint scenes in their poems.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I do enjoy the combination of art and poetry, and having taken the initiative to illustrate my own poems, I enjoy the process much more. It fulfills me.
DeleteThree considerations at work here -- the painted image, which as your own bears equal presence in this offering; the Tarot card of Temperance; and the poem itself. As a painting its lovely and shows the level your talent is rising to, delicate yet strong. As Temperance, its unusual and bespeaks a soul tarot taking flight in a unique way -- the drink taken carefully is that of intuition, the balance a question of whether to hold in full or let flow through, which is a question for every poem--what to grasp, what to surrender. And so well done on all three. Some of your recent work strikes me as a Rilkean sonnet, deft in its strokes and restrained, like a sea wall. It will be fun reading through the other responses using the same line.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Brendan. My muse speaks to me in fits and starts.. nudges me with a few lines then leaves me wondering what comes next. The result is rather short picture-poems. I hope they still resonate on an emotional and intellectual level.
DeleteA balancing act indeed. The card, too, seems vivid and perfectly aligned with one who seeks to maintain a delicate balance. This poem strengthens as it goes along, till the final lines bring a bendable, willow-reed certainty.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joy. I did try to bring something of the trickiness of balancing our lives, so I am glad to know that comes through.
DeleteI always find that balance is a moving target for me. My need for earth and water shifts regularly. Intuition is often my best friend for determining what would bring me peace in the moment.
ReplyDeleteAlways go with your gut instinct when the middle ground in unclear. Thank you, Rommy.
DeleteI love this entire poem, where you show off your gift at its best, but "riverine energy" just made my day. Thanks for allowing your lines to be used by us for new creations, Kerry.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you enjoyed this poem. It is strange to write ekphrasis style to my own illustrations, so it feels like I am learning a new art altogether.
DeleteYes, "riverine energy" is inspired. A wonderful write, Kerry.
ReplyDeleteAlways take the word to the next level if possible.
Delete;)
The uncertainty of everything is ripe in this poem - but so is the tenacity of will and hope... I too really enjoyed "riverine energy"... And of course, the drawings floor me all the time. I have a sketching urge lately ...
ReplyDeletePlease do give in to your urge to sketch. I would love to see this side to your artistic nature. Thank you, Margaret.
DeleteLooooovveeeeeee.
ReplyDeleteLove!!
Oh the balancing act of life, but I can sometimes feel that we are doomed to fall in the river at last...
ReplyDeleteI love this introspective poem.
ReplyDeleteYou captured quite vividly that sense of being on the brink.
I enjoyed writing to your lines.❤️
Wonderful, Kerry. I've been in these wet feet places many times, "I dwell in these wetlands, the days between
ReplyDeletethen and now..."
We all will hate to see our gathering place close. I know and do appreciate your big effort in keeping it up, I am retired and still wouldn't have the time it takes to manage here.
..
Oh, I love the line "the future arrives just as water"... I so love your visual and poetic art. You are so blessed with talent.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant verse on future and balancing the past and expectations some how.
ReplyDeleteClearly a series I need to come back to to explore. "even as riverine energy tempts me
ReplyDeleteto give in to its flow.
I dwell in these wetlands, the days between
then and now"
is classic Kerry, effortlessly poetic and grand in its image and wider statement.