A collaborative Tarot poem sequence by current students.

The following sequence was devised and created by current students on their own initiative via their Facebook group.

COLLABORATIVE TAROT SEQUENCE

The structure must be either a four line poem containing fourteen words, or a three line poem containing twenty-one words plus a one word title. The last word of the first line in each poem must rhyme with the last word of the poem above. The numbers come from the typical tarot deck which contains four suits of fourteen cards each and twenty-one trump cards plus one trump, which is The Fool. Only the poems of three lines comprised of twenty-one words are supposed to have titles. These titles, as inspired by The Fool card, are meant to be foolish.

Shirley Bell

‘I am fortune’s fool!’
cried Romeo as Juliet
reeled past, lashed
to fate’s wheel.

 

Steve Lint

FIREWORK

The hanged man thrust his fetid heel
towards the sun, moon and star,
who had blasted the tower of these lovers.

 

Cassandra Cash

Intoxicated by knowledge, he discovers
pleasures of seclusion
awaiting an honest spark
to ignite

 

Laura Clipson

CASTLE

Death rides and brings fright,
skeletal, brandishing a rose; none understand,
the old must die to make way for the new.

 

Tina Panface Daley

DINNER

Kneeling on stars of dew
she holds captive the essence of existence,
which oozes from chalices bringing life to the earth.

 

Matt Ellis

BLOSSOM

Rising from blood and mirth,
blade of silver arcs resplendent through ashes,
freeing the soul of his mephistophelean veil, unlatch, unleash.

 

Mido Elwaheidi

PALMIST

O death! Is contemplating in you like hashish?
No answer did I find, death is my fate
As it is yours

 

Joel Leverton

The heights of Everest, floors
Of canyon and cave,
Hanged men
See it all

 

Stewart Norvill

TIRAMISU

wait by the tree and leaves will fall
and grow and cards are just a game
until she wants her payment

 

Rosie Temple

ZEBRA

The Fool dines with Uncertainty, patient,
treading the watery pathways wept by a scheming orb.
On the banks, the wolf howls.

 

Ian Turner

Traitor on the prowl,
Judas with a gun,
In school,
Their time has come.

 

Shirley Bell

SEAGULLS

Yet after horror there is always sun,
gilding the upturned faces of the flowers
and drying the tears of our children.

 

Steve Lint

HAMMOCK

The Blasted Tower, silly house and garden,
the danged bivouac, the flippin’ penthouse suite,
the blinking caravan, and the risible gite.

 

Cassandra Cash

Her trickery tastes sweet
the manipulation of velvet gloves
enchanting, deceptive,
the Magician’s assistant

 

Laura Clipson

The Hermit is distant,
hiding from dragons
of the real world;
isolation impedes growth.

 

Tina Panface Daley

IGLOO

Bread comes by the loaf,
Fruit comes by the pound, Gold comes by the ounce
And death comes by the hand.

 

Matt Ellis

DIMPLES

White feathers silver and grand,
herald of the doomed man’s fame,
loose the arrows in storm, ironic white flashes of scorn.

 

Mido Elwaheidi

Those opposing me will be torn
My decisions are irrevocable
no questions
no suggestions

 

Joel Leverton

I seek corrections
To alter my world.
These cards read directions;
Let future unfurl.

 

Stewart Norvill

WALRUS

passed up the Med from girl to girl
Harut and Marut’s paper trick
to lose you coins and empty cups alas

 

Rosie Temple

MEAT

Desolate eyes, harass!
Pester the heavens strewn with possibilities.
Find your sky shepherd and surrender your soul to be driven on.

 

Ian Turner

Devil be gone,
temptation and greed,
sing a new song,
find a new creed.