Saturday, April 1, 2017

A Fine Day for Sailing Away


Ace of Wands from Rider, Green Witch and Zombie Apocalypse Tarot Decks

To begin this month-long celebration of daily poems, let’s begin by drawing the proper Tarot card.

Various decks portray the Ace of Wands as a hand coming out of a cloud, the rod which Moses used to strike the water of life, or the club of Hercules. There is usually a river to cross, a mountain to climb. (And yes, a bone to pick.) It is an invitation to voyage.

In Tarot tradition, the Ace of Wands is a card of optimism and invention. Aces are lucky, and the fire-suit of Wands strikes a match for creativity, excitement and adventure.

The Ace of Wands also signifies the energy and dedication required to complete a large task, like that of writing a poem a day for a month.

The card is drawn, our quest announced! Help us all get out the door and to the shore where the boat is waiting. What is your inspiration, what describes the journey you are about to undertake? What is the inner nature of this journey? Make your beginning here. Make a map of your quest.

And since today is also April Fool’s Day, let’s cross or crown our journey with The Fool Tarot card, that madman-beggar-child-bard whose fool errand is pure sunshine and dizzy precipice. It is the basest and most refined attitude in which to undertake a journey. Who are we kidding, writing a poem a day for a month? Crossing oceans while Rome drowns? Rhyming in a hurricane? Playing catch with Fido while Heaven falls? Who can stop us! (Include a note of this too if you like.)


Four times seven plus three daily wonders of the world await us in this Poems in April challenge! Ladies and gentlemen, start your poesy engines!





22 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

Yay! The month of April has arrived. I know it will be a time of inspiration (if not desperation) and I eagerly await the opportunity to read poetry everyday.
Thanks to Brendan for striking exactly the right note with prompt #1.

Kim M. Russell said...

Thanks for the prompt Brendan and good luck to everyone taking part in NaPoWriMo!

grapeling said...

Well, Brendan, I'll embark on this ship though may get gang-planked partway in. Thanks for the prod...

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Woo hoooo❤️ NaPoWriMo here we come! Just posted my poem.. have to rush to work, I'll be back to read and comment. Cheers!❤️

Susie Clevenger said...

Oh my, It has begun! What a great way to kick off the month! Good luck everyone. I am at an art event this weekend so I will catch up on my reading on Monday

Anonymous said...

As with many of the journeys I have undertaken they came up on me by surprise.I have only just heard of NaPoWriMo in this prompt. Oh oh...blown any credentials I may ( i repeat may) have garnered there!!!
So I have loosened the ropes and set sail in the boat eager to see what awaits.

As W.H.Murry once proclaimed

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Paul, we all take it one day at a time.. No pressure to perform just a supportive environment for those who wish to try.

hedgewitch said...

Thanks for the nudge into verbiage, Brendan. I had fun with this, though since I am barely writing a poem a week, I doubt very much I will achieve a poem a day this year--but, as the old saw goes, it's the thought, and cheers to all the brave souls embarking today on their resplendent ship of fools. ;_)

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

How wonderful to start with these Tarot cards! Right up my alley. (Did I mention that I'm a professional reader?) Whoopee, away we go!

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Hy Paul, that Murry quote is a favourite of mine too!

brudberg said...

I will start out writing until I'm leaving... a journey is under preparation and this suited me well.

Frank Hubeny said...

Thanks, Brendan, for the prompt. I posted one on the fool card.

Outlawyer said...

Hi Brendan, I will not do poetry this month, but I did post a picture relating to the prompt. Here's the link if any are interested.

https://manicddaily.com/2017/04/01/where-are-we-going-charcoal/

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Karin, according to Google your link leads nowhere. :(

Angie said...

Thanks Brendan, for this ship and all its possibilities. Happy NaPoWriMo to all

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I had decided not to do the poem a day - but all of your excitement is contagious, so I have changed my mind!

Kerry O'Connor said...

I found Karin's link to work.

Sherry, I find it best not to set myself the full target but to do what I can as the muse allows. It is fun to be a small part of the effort

:-)

Sanaa Rizvi said...

I am home..❤️ replying to your wonderful, sweet comments. Ready to read now!❤️

Marian said...

I'm with Joy but what the hell! We are all ONE FOR ONE. Congratulations, friends!!

xoxoxoxxo Marian

Jim said...

Nice send off, Brandan. Third year for me, first was a bust. Last year I made it. Off to a late start this year but we'll see, thank you for the nice, fun, prompt.
..

Claire said...

I randomly mentioned the fool (myself) in my poem so I thought I'd link on up. Didn't even think about it being April Fool's Day. Good luck with the poetry month, poets! x

Bekkie Sanchez said...

Great minds think alike Toads! I had the Fool card as my prompt on my Saturdays Image Write! Of course, what else can you think of on April Fools Day?

I am late but hope to link up today. Have a nice Sunday! Hugs!