Comparative Tarot

Ace of Poetry shows a six winged cherub descending to touch the lips of the man on the card, a poet, as he writes on the scroll resting in his lap. The poet's hair is curly and blond and he seems to be eagerly awaiting the cherub's touch. The poet seems radiant against the sepia tones of the card. In the box we see an inscription "I come in, self-annihilation & the grandeur of inspiration; to cast off rational demonstration by faith in the saviour; to cast off the rotten rags of memory by inspiration. To cast aside from Poetry all that is not inspiration". The border of the card is decorated with grape vines leading to a cluster of grapes on each side. The keyword is Inspiration.

The Book says: According to Blake the cherub is the manifestation of spiritual power; the divine inspiration as a sexual metaphor. This card symbolizes the reception of Inspiration as a spiritual cunnilingus, or communicating with the sacred. This card is about receiving an inner, intimate message of truth, which is the definition of imagination. Prophecy describes what is externally true - and it too is imagination. In this card, Blake links sexuality, sacredness and imagination in the same action.

Keywords: The kiss of inspiration; intimate contact with higher consciousness; burst of intuition; sense of inner guidance; desire for spiritual growth; sexuality a metaphor for imagination.

Bee's Buzz: Upon first viewing this card I was struck by the image of the cherub flying down to kiss the poet. It reminding me of the concept of a daimon or divine lover who inspired its human partner and ignited the creative spark. Myths and legends are filled with tales of the hero or heroine being guided or pushed along their journey by a semi-divine creature. This daimon take a very aggressive approach to ensuring that the quester completes the journey and find the truth awaiting them at the end. The Grail quest is this type of story. And something about the Grail legends inspire us all. How wonderful to find a mystical object that offers healing and inner peace. In this image the divine partner offers poetic inspiration, the ability to express oneself in an almost
divine manner that will touch the souls of all who read it. The great works of literature (whether poetry or not) should touch us in this way. Perhaps that is the difference between true art and just reading a book. Inspired poetry or literature should leave us with a sense of awe, a sense of wonder as though some inner light has been ignited in our soul. And the source of that light comes from the divine inspiration given to the poet. We all have the potential to be that poet if we are willing to accept the kiss and all the consequences that come with it.

Bees Blessings
Debbie