ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE NINE OF WANDS (Poem)
[The Nine of Wands from the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck]Years back, a friend who knew a great deal about plants and growing them explained how huge sweeping fires were actually necessary to the health of prairies. And how wild horses of the prairies would instinctively run back through the flames to the safety of the burned-out side. I was struck by a "Nine of Wands" feeling as I listened, and the poem below resulted. (For anyone not familiar with The Tarot, Wands are attributed to the element of fire.)
ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE NINE OF WANDS
Maybe it's time to learn
from the wild horses of long lost prairies
and turn, leaping back through the flames
of your denial.
And there, on the other side of conflagration
plant your feet upon the fertile debris
and accept its burned-out peace.
Then rest, and wait for life to rise again,
drawn upward to the clearing skies.
* * * *
Maybe it's time to learn
from the wild horses of long lost prairies
and turn, leaping back through the flames
of your denial.
And there, on the other side of conflagration
plant your feet upon the fertile debris
and accept its burned-out peace.
Then rest, and wait for life to rise again,
drawn upward to the clearing skies.
* * * *
P. S. I'll address the Nine of Wands in my usual fashion in a future post.
Resource: Tarot.com's Deck Collection, you can view the entire deck here of many popular Tarots.
Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.
‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,
Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****
posted by Roswila at 8:33 AM
3 Comments:
I didn't know this about the wild horses, and it defies what one might think a natural, instinctual reaction to fire would be. Incredible and insightful.
Yes, it does defy reason. Except it is why horses will run back into a burning barn. It's part of their instinctive response to fire to get behind it where it's already burned out. I always remember being puzzled as a child to see movies in which a horse had to be blinfolded in order to lead it *away* from the burning barn.
Thanks for your positive response to this old poem. Now that I'm retired and have the luxury to spend hours with my old writing I am finding a lot more is Tarot based or inspired than I remembered.
Gracias! Using flames for an image of denial gave me pause, after all by definition when denying we are not admitting to something. And flames are pretty hard to ignore the existence of. However, I then figured that we can and do deny the specifics of something that we know is burning/ chasing us. LOL! The contortions this writer will go through to be consistent.
There's a lot in the image of wild horses. Have you thought about what it's strongest associations are for you? Could be interesting.
As to this poem's nine of wands relationship: I've always been a bit puzzled that the traditional meanings tended to be so mild. After all, that person looks rather beat up and exhausted! Probably couldn't even stand without that wand/stave to lean on. So when my friend's recitation called the nine of wands to mind it felt like one of those "ahah" moments...yes, here's a meaning of the card that feels right to me.
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